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CopyrightN^ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



Yard and Garden 

A Book of Practical Information 

for the Amateur Gardener 

in City, Town or 

Suburb 

% 
TARKINGTON BAKER 



Illustrated with Photographs 
and Diagrams 



INDIANAPOLIS 

THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



Copyright 1908 
The Bobbs-Merrill Company 

February 






0^ 



-/b 



UBRARY of CONSWESS] 
Two Cceics Receivdt; ' 

MAR 21 1 908 I 
ouss4 ^^* **"• 



PRESS OF 

BRAUNWORTH & CO- 

BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS 

BROOKLYN, N. Y. 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I The Yard . . , 1 

II Planning the Garden - = ..,♦ 12 

III How TO Plan .,,.... 31 

IV Lawns 44 

V Vines 75 

VI Annuals ,..,,..• 99 

VII Hardy Perennials 134 

VIII Some Popular Perennials .... 157 

IX Bulbous- and Tuberous- Rooted Plants . ► 170 

X Some Popular Hardy -Bulbs . . . • 194 

XI Irises and Tender Bulbs 219 

XII Shrubs 240 

XIII Trees 266 

XIV Soil and Fertilizers 293 

XV Insects and Diseases 309 

XVI The Indoor Winter Window Garden , . 329 

XVII A Chapter of Specialties . , . . 357 

Appendix 379 

Index , 405 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 



Cottage home in a city with yard ornamented with plants 

— Frontispiece 

Small space of city yard converted into formal garden . 3 

Beginning the improvement of a city back-yard . . 9 

The same yard three months later 9 

Making the most of meager space for flowers . . 15 

Grounds of a factory ornamented with plants . . 17 

Example of planting in limited space .... 20 

Side-yard planned and planted by the owner ... 24 

Elaborate planting in city yard — pergola in center . 27 

Example of simple but effective planting ... 33 

Yard-planting in which tree is made the center . . 39 

Wall-planting — result of careful planning ... 43 

Hedge of privet as a city yard boundary ... 47 

Sun-dial in corner of city lawn 50 

Hedge of climbing roses defining limit of lawn . . 57 

Colony of iris established in lawn 61 

Unsightly corner of yard ornamented with plants . . 65 

Garden seat at end of small city lawn .... 70 

Wild grape from woods in city yard . . . .79 

Flowers of the clematis 84 

City residence covered with woodbine .... 89 

Flowers of the fragrant honeysuckle .... 93 

Annual phlox 100 

Single and double zinnias 102 

Snapdragon 105 

China aster 105 

Transplanting seedlings to "thumb-pots" . . . 107 

Stocks ... o ,„.... 110 

Shirley poppies . , . .. ... 110 

Sweet peas . . ... 112 

Petunias . . , ... 114 



LIST OF IhlAJSTBATIOtiS— Continued 

PAGE 

Pot marigold . . . o o . . . . 116 

Sowing seeds of annuals ...... 118 

Plants in porch box combined with hardy ferns to make 

solid wall of foliage and flower ..... 121 
Porch boxes filled with plants suitable for eastern 

exposure ......... 121 

Porch box newly started but with plants in bloom . . 126 

Effective grouping of single plants 129 

Porch boxes exposed to full sunlight .... 131 

Meadow Sweet 135 

Catchfly 137 

Achillea 139 

Columbine ,....»... 139 

Globe Flower 141 

Swamp rose 143 

Oriental poppy 145 

Stoke's aster 147 

Bee Balm 148 

Balloon Flower 148 

Larkspur 150 

Golden Marguerite ........ 152 

Sweet William . « 154 

False Dragon-head 154 

Spiraea 155 

Golden Glow 158 

Boltonia 159 

Monkshood ......... 161 

Foxglove 161 

Chrysanthemum, "Shasta Daisy" 163 

Veronica 165 

Plantain lily 166 

Yellow Day lily 166 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Con^mwecf 

PAGE 

Transplanting hardy perennials 167 

Narcissus days in a city yard garden . . . .171 

May-flowering tulips on Decoration Day .... 174 

Dahlia 176 

Canna ,..-:...,-. 176 

Flowers of tuberous-rooted begonia 178 

Flower of the canna 181 

Torch lily 185 

Canada lily 185 

Kramer's lily 187 

Single dahlias 189 

Madonna lily 191 

Erythronium 196 

Poet's narcissus 196 

Trumpet varieties of narcissus 199 

Hyacinths 201 

Parrot tulips 203 

May-flowering tulips 203 

Gladiolus 206 

Montbretia 206 

Tiger lily 211 

Thunbergian lily 216 

Japanese iris 221 

Spanish iris . 225 

White Siberian iris 230 

German iris ...<,..... 230 

Siberian iris 234 

English iris . . r 234 

Bridal Wreath . . , , 241 

Hydrangea laden with flowers 244 

Blossom of the tree peony in early spring . . . 247 

Shrubbery walk in small city yard ..... 249 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— C'o>i^/nMc(^ 

PAGE 

Flowers of the Mountain Laurel „ . . . . 255 

Hardy azalea in bloom .,,..,. 258 

Rhododendron in bloom ....... 260 

Flowers of the tall-growing Bird Cherry .... 262 

Planting a tree 267 

Tree that has never been pruned 272 

Trees ruined by ignorant pruner 272 

Fruit trees for shade and fruit in city yard . . . 279 

Effective grouping of evergreen trees .... 287 

Decorative value of the haw 294 

Colony of Sedum specfabile in poor soil . . . 299 
Blue Day lily growing in soil which the owner considered 

"impossible" 306 

Spraying easily done in the average city yard . . 311 

Typical chewing insect (Cecropia moth) .... 312 

San Jose scale 318 

Oyster shell scale 318 

Fall web-worm 320 

Scurfy scale 320 

Work of the catalpa sphinx moth 325 

Paris daisies . . 330 

Root growth of narcissus 333 

Azalea Indica in bloom . . 333 

Ornamental-foliaged begonia 336 

Foliage plants suitable for a window garden . . . 338 

Paper white narcissus 341 

Hyacinths, cyclamen and lily, products of a sunny 

window garden ........ 345 

Freesias in bloom .,,..... 347 

Group of plants suitable for shaded window . . . 349 

Geraniums in bloom indoors in mid-winter . . . 350 

Tender hydrangea . 353 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS— Co7ifi/iMerf 

PAGE 

Lace fern .......... 354 

The Maidenhair fern .,,.... 355 

Rose — General Jacqueminot 359 

Border of hardy ferns as screen for foundation . . 365 

Ostrich ferns in narrow border 366 

Double peony 369 

Single peonies .371 

Flowers of the tree peony . 372 

Hardy phlox 375 

Wild Sweet William 377 



YARD AND GARDEN 



YARD AND GARDEN 

CHAPTER I 

THE YAED 

The owner of a city or town lot, of a subur- 
ban home or of a country estate is usually 
interested in affairs which he considers more 
important, or at least more practical, than the 
abstract principles of gardening, no matter in 
what form they are presented or what applica- 
tion is to be made of them. His innnediate re- 
quirement, if his attention be directed at all 
toward the subject, is practice and not theory. 
He wants planting and not principle; his main 
desire is to employ the speediest and safest 
process to make his yard, his grounds or his 
estate — if we can distinguish property sizes by 
these common though vague terms — as harmo- 
niously and effectively beautiful as trees, 
shrubs, plants and vines and his financial re- 
sources will permit. 

In a sense he is justified and, in any event, 
1 



2 YARD AND GARDEN 

he is but responding to a common and natural 
impulse, to obtain for himself that which has 
pleased or interested him. He is impatient of 
theory and eager for results. Disquisitions on 
the fundamental laws of gardening or land- 
scaping are tedious if not perplexing and, in 
his judgment, of little value. His conclusion 
may be hasty but to some extent it is entirely 
correct. There are no hard and fast rules for 
gardening and particularly for the art of orna- 
mental gardening, whether it be conducted on 
large or small scale, on a country estate or the 
back-yard of a city lot. 

There are some principles best remembered 
but even they are not without innumerable va- 
riation in application. In gardening, as in 
house building, individual taste, temper and 
aspirations are reflected and each garden, con- 
sequently, is a law unto itself. Still, under- 
neath this disclosure of the gardener's own 
nature and individuality there are broad princi- 
ples, applicable to all and the foundation of 
all. They are simple, obvious and natural. 
The beginner can make fair progress with noth- 
ing more than an instinctive knowledge of them. 
Any day in the year, in any wood or meadow, 
on the banks of any stream, even by the coun- 



THE YARD 




4 YARD AND GARDEN 

try roadside^ any place where natural condi- 
tions remain in some measure imdisturbed, 
every principle necessary for the most elab- 
orate gardening processes is disclosed by na- 
ture itself. 

If the beginner will bear this in mind and at 
the same time remember that there is no space 
too confined for the application of nature's prin- 
ciples, he will have mastered all the fundamen- 
tal law that it is necessary for him to master. 
With this as a basis, he will quickly observe 
that ornamental gardening, whether it be by 
the formal method, the natural method or a 
combination of the two, is only a simple appli- 
cation of this common law. He may himself 
choose to copy the Italian garden, devise some 
modification of the English wall garden, elab- 
orate the miniature gardens of Japan or con- 
tent himself with duplicating and exalting 
nature in natural gardening, but whichever 
course he elects to pursue he will find the prin- 
ciples the same. 

GARDENING 

The owner of a home, whether it be on exten- 
sive grounds or set on a narrow and shallow 
city lot, need not hesitate, therefore, to begin 



THE YAKD 5 

gardening — and by gardening is meant the lay- 
ing out and cultivation of gardens, whether they 
be large or small, a square yard or an acre, 
open or inclosed, a part of an estate or all of 
it. The first important consideration to him 
is the understanding of what can be done with 
his own home grounds. It is important to com- 
prehend the value of improving them, even 
where the area is so small as to seem to pre- 
clude all opportunity for such effort. Most of 
us realize what paint will do for an old house, 
but few of us realize what a well-kept lawn or 
well-planted yard will do. Yet there are a num- 
ber of examples. 

There is, for instance, the case of the owne^^ 
of a city home who was anxious to dispose 
of it. The house was old and not attractive 
and interested inquirers were few. The owner 
painted the house but still no sale was effected. 
Next, upon the suggestion of a friend who 
knew the value of shrubs and vines and flow- 
ers, the yard was planted at a cost con- 
siderably less than the painting had entailed ; 
hedges were su])stituted for ugly division fences 
and a general transformation was effected in 
less than a season's time. The owner then 
found not only that there were a number of 



6 YARD AND GAEDEN 

purchasers eager for the property but, more- 
over, that he no longer desired to seU. 

This experience is not as exceptional as it 
might at first thought appear. As a matter of 
fact very few persons are found nowadays who 
deny that value, of the sort estimable in dollars 
and cents, as well as beauty, can be added to a 
home by the judicious planting of the yard. 
No matter how imposing a house may be or 
how perfect and harmonious the lines of its 
architecture, or how well its interior may be fin- 
ished and furnished, all suffer when the yard is 
neglected. On the other hand, though the house 
itself be old and weather-worn, it can be made to 
assume an attractive appearance if it be sur- 
rounded by trees, vines, shrubs, and flowers, 
carefully selected, wisely situated, patiently 
cultivated. 

These facts are no longer questioned, if, in- 
deed, doubt of a serious nature was ever op- 
posed to them. All of us have learned the 
value of a city beautiful, and most of us admit 
the value of a home beautiful. If we do not 
contribute to the one or disregard the other, 
it is not for lack of knowledge but rather be- 
cause of indifference. But even this indiffer- 
ence is gradually disappearing and to-day we 



THE YARD 7 

have owners of houses, factories and other 
buildings of a semi-public character, beautify- 
ing their grounds by the liberal employment of 
nature's materials. 

VALUE OF EXAMPLE 

Moreover, we have examples to encourage 
us; we have city parks and streets or avenues, 
city yards, suburban homes and country estates 
planted or landscaped. And these are not 
without valuable influence, for it seldom hap- 
pens that the residents of a neighborhood sur- 
rounding a place, large or small, that has been 
effectively planted, lag far behind the pioneer. 
Before his advent, or before his operations 
were begun, it might be that lawns were un- 
kempt and flowers were unknown, but it does 
not require more than a season or two for the 
one improvement to arouse others to action and 
for the movement thus started to gain in extent 
until it amply justifies all the faith placed in 
the power of example by such bodies as civic 
improvement societies. 

Planting, from whatever cause it may spring, 
once begun is not quickly abandoned. Garden- 
ing begets gardening — the more one plants the 
more one desires to plant. But the fascination 



8 YARD AND GARDEN 

of the pursuit is not alone sufficient to account 
for this. In addition to exercising that uni- 
versally instinctive desire to raise things, to 
see them grow and thrive on the care and 
attention one bestows on them, no field of en- 
deavor, as has already been suggested, prom- 
ises a broader scope for the expression of an 
individual's taste, temper and aspirations. 
We seek to have the houses we build express 
something of our own personality, but, were we 
only aware of it, the yard presents a far more 
favorable field for such etfort. Who can not, 
for instance, judge of the intellectual and moral, 
as well as of the sanitary status of a community, 
of a neighborhood, or of the owner of a private 
dwelling by its external conditions 1 

Nothing can be more incongruous than the 
littered back-yard of an imposing city resi- 
dence. Within dwell persons who are fond of 
comfort, if not of luxury, intelligent and edu- 
cated, and it seems wholly impossil)le that they 
would not avail themselves of the opportunity 
to add so much enjoyment for themselves and 
for others by improving the ground at their 
disposal, instead of making it a place for the 
deposit of old barrels, boxes, tin cans, and other 
rubbish. The only possible argument against 



THE YARD 




Begiiiniiiy' the Improvement of ii City Buck-Yard 




Tlie fciame Yard Three Months Later 



10 YARD AND GAEDEN 

such improvement, and, indeed, the argument 
that is most frequently advanced, is the lack of 
space. But it is not space that is wanting, but 
— taste, temper and aspiration. Even in a 
space that is not more than twenty feet square, 
there is sufficient ground for an attractive gar- 
den. 

How much more opportunity i-s there then 
for that owner of a city lot of the usual size 
upon which he has erected a house of the usual 
dimensions? Instead of confining his efforts 
to the making of a small garden he has, com- 
paratively speaking, a vast domain at his dis- 
posal. His lot, perhaps, is forty feet wide and 
one hundred feet deep. His house at most oc- 
cupies half of this; occasionally some other 
building — a stable, a garage — ^may occupy a 
few feet more, but, withal, he has remaining 
six hundred, eight hundred or a thousand 
square feet upon which to plant vines, and 
shrubs, and trees, and flowers. By employing 
to advantage this available space, he can con- 
tribute to his own pleasure, to the pleasure of 
his neighbors and of passers-by; he may set 
a good example and he may materially increase 
the value of his property. The latter is not 
a matter of theory but a matter of fact. Nor 



THE YARD 11 

is the increase to property value confined to the 
property improved; on the contrary all sur- 
rounding property is in a measure affected. 
Unfortunately, however, we learn this too 
often only through the demonstration of the 
negative of it. It is quickly enough realized 
when some neighborhood suffers a direct de- 
preciation in property values through the care- 
lessness, selfishness, ignorance or downright 
stubbornness of a single property owner who 
persists in maintaining an ugly, unsightly yard 
which is little less than a legal nuisance and 
most certainly a positive eyesore. 

If all these facts were more extensively 
understood and their true worth and full sig- 
nificance were better known by individuals and 
communities, public health would be better con- 
served, cleanliness would be insured, fewer 
sanitary inspectors would be necessary and the 
beauty of town or city would be materially 
enhanced. The individual himself would no 
longer be the possessor of a house and lot, but 
he would become the owner of a home, with a 
yard harmonizing with the house and affording, 
in summer at least, an additional pleasant, 
healthful and attractive living-room. 



CHAPTER II 

PLANNING THE GAEDEN 

Before there were gardeners there were gar- 
dens. The first gardener, no doubt, was a 
fence-builder; he appropriated whatever he 
found growing, that was of use or benefit, in- 
closed it to exclude marauders and to protect 
and safeguard it the better. C^onsequently in 
the beginning a garden was an inclosed space. 
It is easily conceivable that in this inclosed 
space not all the native plants which might 
prove of value to this primitive gardener were 
to be found. He inclosed, doubtless, what he 
could, but some were too remotely situated to 
be included. It became his problem, therefore, 
to introduce such of these as he desired into 
his protected area and, in the subsequent op- 
erations, we have the first garden planning and 
the first actual gardening. 

This primitive ancestor was not without 
definite plan when he went beyond his crude 
pale and brought into his inclosure some plant 

12 



PLANNING THE GARDEN 13 

which he had failed to include when he laid 
his barricade. And no more are we without 
plan when we transplant a tree, sow seeds or 
set out shrubs, vines or flowers. We put them 
where we believe they will prove most effective 
in attaining the end desired. 

This is the beginning of planning, and, even 
when it is elaborated, it is neither difficult nor 
complex, though it has, unfortunately, been 
made by professional gardeners to seem both. 
Nor is it uninteresting. On the contrary, it 
is simple and fascinating and no small part 
of the delight and interest in gardening, espe- 
cially in planting to ornament a small place, 
owes its origin to the operation. Moreover, 
the picture thus produced is our own, not an- 
other 's ; it is of our conception and our mak- 
ing, expressing our own ideas and our own feel- 
ings as well as our individual natures. And, 
being not only a simple but an absorbing pro- 
cess, why, when so easily and cheaply engaged 
in, employ another to undertake the work for 
us! 

PRINCIPLES INVOLVED 

Let those who own ground start with the 
premise that every place can be improved. 
No yard is too small and no estate too large 



14 YARD AND GARDEN 

to make impossible its improvement by the use 
of plants of some sort, and, large or small, the 
principles involved are invariably the same — 
it is only the scale upon which they are applied 
that differs. Often one may see plants in tubs 
standing in front of store or office building, 
or set about the entrances and corridors in the 
busiest section of down-town districts of large 
cities. Wherever these are in evidence the 
passer-by does not fail to take note of them or 
to observe gratefully the effect they produce. 

There are also other instances where garden- 
ing is practised in almost impossible places. 
In some sections of some cities private resi- 
dences are without front lawns of any descrip- 
tion, and apparently there is no opportunity 
for planting. Still these homes are not with- 
out their flowers, for window boxes have been 
fitted in place and in these vines and flowers 
thrive and bloom. Then again — it is always a 
hopeful sign — in the most densely populated 
districts of the slums of our larger cities, one 
may frequently observe a plant struggling for 
life in some dust-streaked window of a home 
where dire poverty, only too evident, would 
seem to prohibit even the most feeble exhibi- 
tion of a love for something green and growing. 



PLANNING THE GARDEN 



15 




16 YARD AND GARDEN 

One may turn also to the manufacturing centers 
and here he will find frequently that the prac- 
tical business sense of the owner has led him 
to employ vines, shrubs and flowers to make 
his work-shop a healthier and more enjoyable 
place for his employees. 

If one will consider for a moment what the 
purpose of a yard is, perhaps a sense of logic 
will induce him to see clearly 'why an effort 
should be made to get as much out of it as 
space and other conditions will allow. The 
yard surrounding a house, whether large or 
small, contributes directly and indirectly to the 
health and comfort of the occupants of the 
home; it insures light, air and sunshine; it af- 
fords for the most of us at least a glimpse of 
nature. If we should determine to embellish 
this area with plants we should lose none of the 
advantages it affords but, as a matter of fact, 
we should add considerably to them. Individu- 
ally, we should get more light and more air 
and more sunshine, for gardening means out- 
doors life for the man or woman who begins it 
and takes an interest in it. It means ten or fif- 
teen minutes a day, or more perhaps, beneath 
the sky, and ten or fifteen minutes less beneath 
the roof. It means healthful exercise, a closer 



PLANNING THE GARDEN 17 




18 YARD AND GARDEN 

acquaintance with nature, a broader glimpse of 
nature's methods, and a deejier appreciation of 
nature's handiwork. 

It is worth while to have a yard but it is 
worth infinitely more to make use of it, and if 
one will tend it with interest and some regard 
for the fitness of things, surprising results can 
be accomplished. And when mention is made 
of the yard it must not be deduced that the siui- 
cious lawns and gardens of large city or subur- 
ban homes are in mind; on the contrary the 
reference is rather to the little strip of ground 
behind the house, and the smaller strip in front 
of it which answer for breathing spaces for 
most of us who dwell in cities and towns. The 
city yard, of course, is deplorably small, and 
year by year, as population increases it seems 
to become smaller. It used to be that we con- 
sidered one house to a lot enough, but now the 
builder, anxious to make his property pay him 
goodly dividends, has developed the habit of 
doubling the building without increasing the 
size of the lots. It might be possible to show 
even to him that there are advantages often 
from an investment point of view in more 
ground and less building, but, while this is at 
best a difficult task — for it affects too intimately 



PLANNING THE GARDEN 19 

the immediate revenues — it should not be diffi- 
cult to prove that provision made for planting 
and the planting itself are both wise invest- 
ments that will not fail to yield substantial div- 
idends. 

EXAMPLES OF PLANTING 

Let us take, as a basis to illustrate what can 
be done, the sort of lot one finds oftenest in the 
residence sections of cities. In one of the 
larger cities of the Middle West there is a 
small home on a lot forty feet wide and one 
hundred and fifty feet deep. To be exact, the 
house is situated twenty feet from the property 
line, four feet from the north line of the lot, ten 
feet from the south line and fifty feet from the 
west line. Around the porch, screening the 
foundations, are dwarf shrubs and ferns ; along 
the south line of the house, in a border two feet 
wide between the walk and the house, there are 
lilies of various species growing among funkias 
or ''plantain" lilies — here again the brick 
foundations are entirely hidden from view. 
Boston ivy climbs up the pillars of the porch, 
and porch boxes are filled with flowering and 
foliage plants and vines. On the north side are 
more ferns and a few shrubs and these in their 



20 YARD AND GARDEN 

turn completely hide the foundation walls. "We 
have,. therefore, to begin with, a house that is 
not ''bare-footed." The front yard is a lawn 
with no flowers growing upon it, but a hedge, 
kept trimmed to a height of three feet, incloses 
the premises. In the rear there is a central lawn 
fifteen feet square; around this are grouped 




Example of Planting in Limited Space 

beds and borders of perennials and shrubs. 
Amongst these, annuals are planted each sea- 
son to afford additional bloom and a surer suc- 
cession. 

On this place, from the earliest days of spring 
until the first killing frost in the fall, there is 
never a time when an armful of flowers can 



PLANNING THE GARDEN 21 

not be gathered. The planter of this place be- 
gan his work when he was in wretched health, 
but through his gardening operations he recov- 
ered from his illness, gained strength and vigor, 
made his home more beautiful and, at the ex- 
pense of a few minutes each day, and a. few 
dollars, he increased the value of the property 
nearly twenty per cent. 

If the owner of a city lot is not impressed 
by examples of this kind but still finds it diffi- 
cult to rid himself of the idea that the small 
space at his command means an end to all 
thought of ornamental planting, let him make 
a sketch of his yard on paper, drawn to scale, 
and with this before him undertake an explora- 
tion of the possibilities. It is not unlikely that 
this method of procedure will disclose oppor- 
tunities for gardening which, as a beginner, not 
yet either deeply interested or enthusiastic, he 
might otherwise overlook. Gradually, as these 
become apparent, the fact also will develop that 
it is not more impracticable to create a pleasing 
picture within an area of a few square yards 
than in the space of a mansion garden. In- 
deed, it may prove that limitation of space will 
contribute to tine if not broad expression of the 
best gardening, for it is evident that it must 



22 YARD AND GARDEN 

test to greater degree one's taste and skill; in 
the contracted area more selection and more re- 
jection, better judgment and more care in ar- 
rangement must be exercised, whereas, in a big 
place, trees, shrubs and broad expanse of lawn 
are frequently sufficient in themselves to create 
the picture. 

ELEMENTARY PLANNING 

The person who has grown flowers for a year 
or two is in little need of the suggestion that 
even a season's garden should be planned. 
There is enough delight in the work — in the an- 
ticipation to which it gives rise — to make it 
reasonably certain that the garden will be 
planned in some fashion before the planting 
time is at hand. In fact, all of us, even the 
novice, do more or less planning before we 
plant. Frequently we do not recognize it and 
really persuade ourselves that we plant as the 
desire seizes us. But, when it is considered 
that beds must be dug in the spring, it must 
be apparent that, in determining where they 
are to be situated, we have, in an elementary 
manner at least, planned our garden. 

It may seem absurd to speak of planning a 
single bed. One desires to plant so many 



PLANNING THE GARDEN 23 

nasturtiums or, as May days come with their 
assurance that frosts are over, one begins to 
think of setting out geraniums. Well and 
good ; no plan on paper is needed. The planter 
has only to determine upon the location of the 
bed and the work is done. But, even in so sim- 
ple a process, one has to take into considera- 
tion the very same things that must be con- 
sidered in planning a large garden. One must 
give some attention to surrounding objects, to 
the proximity, for instance, of buildings, of 
trees or shrubs or fences. One must ponder 
whether this color or that will war with the color 
of the house, or whether tall-growing or dwarf 
flowers shall be planted, or whether foliage or 
blossom is the more desirable. 

So, in a measure, in planning even this single 
small bed, consideration is had for conditions 
which must be taken into account when one is 
jDlanning on a more extensive scale. But in the 
latter case, the planner has also to deal with 
other details. He must learn all there is to be 
learned of the situation and the conditions gov- 
erning it; he must take into consideration all 
surrounding objects — fences, houses, trees, 
shrubs or whatever there may be of a per- 
manent nature, for which provision must be 



24 



YARD AND GARDEN 




PLANNING THE GARDEN 25 

made. He must consider what ])lants will 
thrive best under the conditions into which he 
purposes to bring them and he must consider 
what plants will harmonize in color and what 
w^ill not. He must select and reject and con- 
tinue the process until he has not only a list 
of plants suitable to the site but one also which 
includes as many as possible of those he most 
desires. It is by such means that a plan be- 
comes an expression of the planter's own indi- 
viduality and the garden which is planted in 
accordance with it reflects the character of its 
maker. 

PLANNING BEFORE BUILDING 

In many instances one of the first discoveries 
that will be made is that the ornamentation of 
the home grounds could have l)een accom- 
plished far more speedily, effectively and eco- 
nomically if, before building, some thought had 
been given to the matter and some comprehen- 
sion of the real value of a yard had been 
gained. In America, too often the blunder is 
made of building a house on a site which pre- 
sents numerous difficulties in the way of adorn- 
ment when other sites more favorable might be 
obtained, at no greater expense than a little 



26 YARD AND GARDEN 

more foretlioiiglit and search. This is fre- 
quently followed by another blunder which re- 
sults in the location of the house on the site 
in such manner that even the few possibilities 
for ornamentation which might have existed at 
first, are almost entirely eliminated. It is not 
uncommon to observe, as an illustration, the 
destruction of some splendid tree, cut down 
without thought of its value, when by setting 
the house a few feet in one direction or another, 
the sacrifice could have been easily avoided and 
a natural ornament requiring perhaps a half 
century for its growth and development pre- 
served. 

In this connection it may be well to observe 
that it is not always either advisable or desir- 
able to set the house on a line with adjoining 
structures, and certainly it is not necessary. 
A neighbor may protest if you suggest pro- 
jecting your house beyond his, but surely he 
will offer no objection to your setting it farther 
back if you wish, and often you will be the 
gainer if you adopt this course. It is difficult 
to account for the idea, which seems firmly fixed 
in some cities and towns, calling for the usual 
military-like alignment of houses. It means 
frequently a waste of yard possibilities — a neg- 



PLANNING THE GARDEN 27 




28 YARD AND GARDEN 

lect of germine natural resources — with no ap- 
parent gain to overcome the loss. 

The preservation of continuity of the prop- 
erty line is sometimes, of course, a necessity in 
large cities, especially where land is expensive 
and where every foot must be covered by build- 
ing, but where lots are large, comparatively 
speaking, make sure that to establish the house 
on the line will contribute to the general ap- 
pearance of the place as a home before the step 
is taken. If it may seem that more is to be 
gained by setting it farther back from the street 
than neighboring houses, do not sacrifice your 
originality as an offering to conventionality, 
but build your foundations accordingly, use the 
rear yard as a service yard only and make the 
most of the front area that as a result will be 
at your disposal. Bear in mind that the house 
itself will show to better advantage when it is 
set, as it eventually should be, in a frame of 
blooming plants, green shrubs and climbing 
vines. 

PROVIDING FOR WALKS 

Especially give attention to the location of 
walks. First consider where the street en- 
trance or entrances are to be, deciding this on 



PLANNING THE GARDEN 29 

the basis of practical usage and convenience. 
Then direct the walks by the shortest route to 
their objective point. Avoid senseless curves, 
especially in a small yard, and have no more 
walks than are absolutely necessary, nor walks 
that are wider than necessary. If the grounds 
are large — half an acre or more in extent — then 
walks serving no practical ends may be intro- 
duced if desired. These may lead by devious 
course to retired seats or summer-houses or 
may conduct to shrubberies or to artificial gar- 
den ornaments, as, for example, a sun-dial. 
But if such walks are wanted, let the planter 
go forth to some remote wood or old meadow 
and, finding a path worn by the foot of man or 
beast, study its outlines and curves. He will 
not be long in observing that its irregularities 
are not without purpose — it avoids obstacles, 
a tree, a shrub, a stump, a stone, a bog; it cir- 
cles knolls or follows the meanderings of a 
stream. But always it changes its course for 
reasons that are obvious. And for such 
reasons and these alone should the direction of 
walks laid on residence grounds be changed. 
The obstacles, of course, may be provided, but 
in any event they should be present and visible. 
A grouping of shrubbery, a large boulder, a 



30 YARD AND GARDEN 

tree or similar object, artificial as well as nat- 
ural, may be employed to gain the end desired 
and will not fail to prove effective as well as 
logical. 

Each year finds Americans giving more and 
more attention to all such details. The house 
no longer receives attention to the entire exclu- 
sion of its surroundings ; it has come to be con- 
sidered a part of the home, not all of it. And 
this is equally true when the house is already 
erected, as it is in a majority of instances, and 
we must make the most of conditions as we find 
them. This, of course, is more difficult, but it 
is never impossible. It means only that all the 
7nore planning is necessary and it presents no 
cause for discouragement, but, on the contrary, 
an incentive to greater effort. 



CHAPTEE III 

HOW TO PLAN 

Though where art is concerned, rules are fre- 
quently ''more, honored in the breach than in 
the observance," still there are certain princi- 
ples, all general in character, which, if followed, 
will lead the beginner safely past the commoner 
faults observed in yard ornamentation. These 
principles are as simple and obvious in point 
of reason as they are few in number and all 
of them are so fundamental that no grounds, 
of whatever size, can be tastefully embellished 
without observing them. They might be called, 
as they are here set forth, the ''ten command- 
ments of ornamental gardening. ' ' 

PRINCIPLES OF ARRANGEMENT 

I. Preserve unbroken stretches of lawn of as 
great length as possible in one or more places, 
according to the size of the lot. 

II. Set the tallest-growing plants nearest the 
boundaries of the yard and those of shorter 

31 



32 YAKD AND GARDEN 

growth so that the range of height will be 
upward and outward from the center of the 
lawn. 

III. Avoid planting next the street or avenue 
sidewalks unless seclusion is the object. Tall- 
growing trees, that head high, may be excepted, 
for these, when they have attained fair height, 
do not obstruct the view. 

IV. Plant no tall-growing trees or shrubs so 
close to the dwelling that light and air will be 
excluded and avoid their use in small lots where 
good lawns and flowers are desired. But if 
sturdy, healthy trees are already established on 
a lot upon which no building has been erected, 
make every effort to save them and arrange 
other plans, both of building and planting, ac- 
cordingly. • 

V. Avoid the formation of numerous sepa- 
rate flower-beds. Avoid beds of geometric de- 
signs on the lawn. Avoid scattered and gaudy 
effects and ^ ^ specimen ' ' planting. 

VI. Plant in a manner that will insure pleas- 
ing vistas from the principal windows, the en- 
trances or porches of the dwelling. 

VII. Keep in mind the season of bloom of 
different plants desired as well as their height 
at maturity and aim for a succession of flowers. 



HOW TO PLAN 



33 




34 YARD AND GARDEN 

Keep the color of bloom also in mind to avoid 
color discords. 

VIII. Avoid overplanting as well as under- 
planting. Simplicity rather than ornateness 
should be the aim. The smaller the area to 
be planted, the smaller should be the materials 
employed. Do not attempt too much; consider 
the space available and do not overload it, 
reckon the time that can be devoted to garden- 
ing and do not overtax it. 

IX. Do not establish purposeless walks on 
small grounds. Curve or bend no walk without 
some apparent reason, as, for instance, to avoid 
an obstacle. Do not make purposeless use of 
garden ornaments or structures — pergolas, ar- 
bors, summer-houses, sun-dials, etc. 

X. Plan before 3^ou plant, for planting with- 
out a plan is as certain to beget error as build- 
ing a house without the architect's blue-print; 
and plan to make a picture. 

The novice may feel that, if it is necessary 
to keep these rules in mind, planning is not 
the simple matter it has been represented to 
be. Still, once he begins, he will find that it 
is prosaic common sense which dictates these 
principles and that, in no small measure, prac- 
tical and economical considerations enter into 



HOW TO PLAN 35 

their conception. He will find also that he is 
bound to observe most of them, consciously or 
unconsciously, in j^lanning even the smallest 
yard or garden. For instance, it is hardly 
necessary to caution him against setting dwarf 
plants behind those of taller growth, and it 
should be similarly superfluous to advise him to 
consider color, character and season of bloom. 
He could not progress far with his planning be- 
fore questions would arise involving all these 
points and, at the same time, a majority of the 
other rules of the ten recited. 

PLAN ON PAPER 

So far as the actual work of planning is con- 
cerned, it is best begun by obtaining paper 
ruled to scale or else by ruling paper to use as 
a substitute. A convenient scale is one where 
the lines are one-eighth of an inch apart and 
so ruled horizontally and vertically that one- 
eighth inch squares are formed. Let each di- 
vision thus obtained represent a square foot of 
the yard. If the lot is fifty feet wide, there 
should be, of course, fifty lines as long in eighths 
as the lot is long in feet. If, however, the lot is 
small, larger divisions with the lines farther 
apart may be employed, or if the grounds are 



36 YARD AND GARDEN 

too large to make the eighth-inch scale practical, 
two or three feet instead of one may be allowed 
to each division. 

Carefully indicate on the plan the location 
of all objects which are to remain permanently, 
allowing to each the exact amomit of space it oc- 
cupies. If a house is standing on the lot, or 
a stable, shed or other building, show on the 
plan the shape and size of each. If a tree is 
among these permanent objects, indicate not 
only its location, but also the area of ground 
sheltered by its spread of branches. Irregu- 
larities in the surface of the ground, if they 
are to remain, should also be clearly outlined. 

Make sure that everything designated to re- 
main is necessarily permanent, and, in. this con- 
nection, once more let the fact be emphasized 
that in small city yards trees are not always of 
first importance. It is better in many instances 
to rid the ground entirely of a half-lifeless, 
shapeless specimen than to arrange everything 
else to fit its requirements. 

When all objects and surface irregularities 
of a permanent nature have been finally indi- 
cated upon the diagram, the planner can turn 
his attention to the making of his picture. 
And let him bear in mind that it is a picture he 



HOW TO PLAN 37 

is making. It is to be an individual whole, an 
area separate from other areas, possessing its 
own character, with every part and feature con- 
tributing its value to the homogeneous effect. 
House and yard are to ])ecome a united whole ; 
ornamentation is to harmonize with architec- 
ture; there is not to be a Jioiise and lot, but a 
home. 

HARMONY OF EFFECT 

Planning with this end in view at once recalls 
what has already been said of purposeless 
planting. Do not imagine that it is enough to 
scatter trees, shrubs and flowers promiscuously 
over the place, for a yard planted in such a 
fashion is without central idea and betrays a 
lack of judgment, care or creative ability on the 
part of the planter. Mere planting without 
purpose is almost invariably without value as 
ornament. 

Naturally, on small lots, the residence will 
be the central figure. Plan, then, to keep it so. 
Make it unlikely that any one will remark any 
individual feature surrounding it or even the 
house itself — it is the home that is to be re- 
marked. Strive to do for this house what a 
camera lens does frequently for a landscape. 
It reduces the importance of prominent or indi- 



38 YARD AND GARDEN 

vidual objects, it will be remembered, and 
brings into immediate view in the resultant pic- 
ture all the details as a whole and, more than 
this, shuts off extraneous and irrelevant sur- 
roundings, which might serve to distract atten- 
tion. One sees first on the photograph the 
whole of the picture and later he sees the de- 
tails. 

Plan, therefore, for the whole. This nat- 
urally means planning for harmonious effect 
which, in time, suggests careful consideration 
of the value of each plant selected in its rela- 
tion to the whole and not in the light of its own 
individual value. This is the difficult point for 
the beginner to master. He reads alluring de- 
scriptions of various plants and, forgetting his 
picture, remembers only these details ; he mag- 
nifies the part and detracts from the composite. 
As a result we have not only the scattered 
planting so often seen but that other barrier 
to effective ornamentation of the home grounds, 
senseless specimen-planting. 

Opposed to such methods is the mass plant- 
ing which alone will add character and strength 
and a sense of unity to the place. Once the 
value of this is grasped the beginner is not 
likely to go far astray in his planning. He 



HOW TO PLAN 



39 




Vcud Plantint; in whicli Tiw is made the (enter 



40 YAED AND GAEDEN 

would, for instance, no more think of cutting a 
geometric flower-bed figure in the center of his 
lawn than he would think of planting a secret- 
order emblem of scarlet geraniums and coleus 
in the heart of a forest landscape. On the con- 
trary the greensward would appeal to him as 
his canvas upon which, painter-like, he is to 
produce his picture. He would demand, not 
isolation for his flowers, but a neighborly back- 
ground, and an informal border rather than a 
formal bed in which to grow them. 

HEIGHT AND COLOR 

Begin the plan, then, with the yard bounda- 
ries. Establish here the backgrounds, and 
plant from them toward the center. Should a 
board fence serve as one boundary, vines may 
be trained over it, converting it into as effective 
a background as one. could desire. A line of 
shrubs or of tall-growing perennials could serve 
as another, a hedge of roses or privet as still 
another, or indeed, anything of the sort that 
the planner may desire. 

Carefully indicate on the diagram where each 
is to be planted and the space it- is to occupy. 
Designate each mark set down by a number or 
letter and, at the bottom of the plan, or on sep- 



HOW TO PLAN 41 

arate paper, set down the number or letter and 
after it the name of the plant it indicates. The 
number required of each can be readily ascer- 
tained by allowing for necessary distance be- 
tween plants on the plan itself. 

The planner will not proceed far with this 
process before he will find it necessary, for the 
sake of harmony in height and color, to con- 
sider both qualities when he selects the various 
plants he may desire. He will also be obliged 
to consider soil and light conditions. He might 
find, for instance, that what he desires is a 
hardy perennial attaining a height of twenty- 
four or thirty inches, whose flower is white, and 
which will thrive in a heavy soil in a situation 
exposed to the full rays of the sun. If such be 
his requirement, based upon the idea of the ef- 
fect as a ivliole, would it not be manifestly 
absurd for him to select a plant attaining a 
height of six inches or six feet, demanding half 
shade for its welfare and producing a red 
flower! Yet, absurd as the idea is, this is fre- 
quently done and the planter, moreover, won- 
ders why he is not satisfied with the result 
produced. 

So the planner, in selecting his plants, must 
keep in mind not only the requirements of his 



42 YARD AND GARDEN 

picture but he must have consideration, too, for 
the requirements of the materials with which 
he works. He should remember also that there 
are five or six months in the year when his yard 
should be like another room to his residence, 
and he should strive to provide a succession of 
bloom. It is inadvisable, however, to sacrifice 
unity to gain this end. In other words, a suc- 
cession of bloom is not as important as is the 
exclusion from the plan of too many varieties 
of plants. 

SLOW PLANNING AND PLANTING 

It is best to proceed slowly with planning and 
still more slowly with planting. A yard can 
not be effectively embellished in a season — the 
picture can not be painted in a summer. It is 
advisable to plant the boundaries first, setting 
out the heavier stock, carefully cultivating it 
until it is well established and comes in turn 
to suggest to the gardener many opportunities 
for effective planting against the background 
it affords. Too often the error is made of 
planting all at once only to gain as a result an 
unsatisfactory effect. Rather than encounter 
the discouragement that such an unfortunate 
outcome may cause, and to avoid, also, useless 



HOW TO PLAN 



43 



loss of time, money and labor, it wonld be far 
better to postpone some of the planting until 
the following season. By then a better esti- 
mate will be had of the effectiveness of the 
work already done and a more complete idea 
may be formed of the planting still to l)e done. 




Wall-planting- — Kesult of Careful Planning 

This suggests the advantage of the plan that 
is carefully drawn and executed. It can be 
added to from time to time, from season to 
season, as the picture develops in the planner's 
mind, and always it will serve as a valuable 
and almost indispensable key to the names of 
the various plants employed. 



CHAPTER IV 

LAWNS 

Nothing adds more to a city home than a 
fresh and velvety lawn. Nothing, however, is 
more seldom seen. Still, if properly planted 
and tended, good lawns are not difficult to 
achieve. The chief cause of failure is in per- 
mitting hasty turfing immediately upon the 
completion of building operations. 

PREPARATION OF THE SOIL 

No proper consideration is had for soil con- 
ditions. It may be that in excavating for the 
cellar, sand or clay has been thrown upon the 
old surface soil to a depth of a foot or more. 
Mixed with this are pieces of board and brick, 
chips of stone, and not infrequently concrete. 
It should be apparent to any one that turf laid 
on such soil as this can not succeed, yet in al- 
most three-fourths of the instances where grass 
*' refuses to grow" this is the immediate cause 
of the trouble. 

44 



LAWNS 45 

To make a good lawn from turf or from seed, 
the first essential is to give it a foundation of 
good soil worked to a considerable depth. It 
is really impossible to get soil too good for a 
good lawn, and while the cultivation of this soil 
to a depth of one foot is absolutely necessary, 
it is far better to work it thoroughly to a depth 
of two feet. If the ground about the home is 
good and this good soil runs to a depth of a 
foot, the first thing to do is to plow or spade 
it thoroughly. But if the ground be poor the 
preliminary step must be its improvement. 

When it is considered that the grass of the 
lawn is a permanent crop, the necessity for 
thorough cultivation at the start is apparent. 
Go about this by removing, as far as possible, 
such soil as offers no encouragement to culti- 
vation and substituting for it soil that is rich 
and fertile enough to insure a thick heavy crop 
of grass. The thorough working of all soil 
which is to be the foundation of the lawn, means 
first to rid it of foreign substances which are 
detrimental to plant growth of any sort — split 
and torn roots, stones, bricks and such rubbish. 
Then plow or spade, going to a depth of at least 
one foot, and pulverize the soil by using a 
spade, hoe or harrow, adding while this last 



46 YARD AND GAEDEN 

process is carried forward, fertilizer in the form 
of manure. 

FERTILIZING AND PLOWING 

Well-rotted cow manure is the best fertilizer 
to apply; it imparts humus as well as plant 
food, and adds something to the ground upon 
which the plants may feed season after season. 
It is often advisable to apply also a thin dress- 
ing of air-slacked lime, plowing this in or spad- 
ing it in at the time the ground is first broken, 
or adding it later after the fertilizer has been 
thoroughly incorporated with the soil. In 
getting the soil in condition for turfing or the 
sowing of seeds, bear in mind always that the 
lawn, if it is to be successful, must be properly 
started. Flowers can be planted each season, 
lifted and transplanted, shrubs can be reset and 
all with comparatively little bother and little 
work. But not so with the lawn. If it has to 
be remade the operation means not only much 
trouble and much labor but, for a considerable 
period, an unsightly yard. 

If the place to be planted in grass is small, 
the cultivation, of course, can be more thor- 
ough — it can not be too thorough in any event. 
On larger areas, though, nothing suggested 



48 YARD AND GARDEN 

should be overlooked. Plow deeply and harrow 
thoroughly. If, to begin with, the* land appears 
to be impossible, make every effort to render 
it as fit as can be while the plowing and harrow- 
ing are in progress. If the soil is deficient in 
humus begin the foundation of the lawn fully a 
year before it is desired to seed it. Plant a 
crop of cow peas and in the fall plow it under, 
adding immediately a dressing of lime. In the 
early spring following, apply a dressing of well- 
rotted manure, and plow and harrow again. 
Make the surface soil fine and level. It is al- 
ways best to let the ground stand for three or 
four weeks untouched, so that any weeds may 
germinate and show themselves and be eradi- 
cated by another harrowing. 

When the area to be put to lawn is limited, 
as it is in the case of small city residences, it 
is necessary, first of all, to determine whether 
the soil, as it lies, is suitable for a good lawn. 
If it is not, waste no time with it but have it 
carted away and good loam substituted. Work 
this thoroughly and if it is in the fall — the 
best time to begin lawn-making — top-dress it 
with manure and let it remain somewhat 
roughly heaped, that is, without pulverizing or 
smoothing. The winter's frost and the alternate 



LAWNS 49 

freezing and thawing will do more to put ihe 
soil in excellent condition than a month's spad- 
ing, hoeing and raking. 

TURF 

Once the ground is got into shape, the planter 
may proceed to establish his lawn by one of 
two methods; he may use turf or seed. The 
former is probably most frequently employed 
in cities because it gives immediate results. 
It is quickly laid and quickly establishes itself, 
and if properly laid, is usually satisfactory, 
provided, of course, it is well-selected turf, free 
from weeds or rank grasses that are unsightly 
and difficult to manage. In laying sod be sure 
that the edges of the turf are brought closely 
together and later fill in the spaces that may re- 
main with loose soil. The chief advantage of 
turf is the fact that it can be laid at any time 
when the ground can be worked, and if estab- 
lished on such a foundation of cultivated soil 
as has been described as necessary for either 
turf or seed, it will grow. But it must be wa- 
tered persistently and thoroughly and it de- 
mands, moreover, much attention during the 
first year while it is establishing itself. 

It is important in making the lawn from turf 



50 



YARD AND GARDF^N 



to select the turf carefully. Too often this is 
intrusted to ignorant laborers who use no 
judgment but take whatever is clasest at hand 
and easiest to obtain, regardless of whether it 
is overgrown with weeds or spotted with un- 
desirable grasses. Once satisfactory turf is 
obtained, laid evenlv and closely and the unions 



f^ 





Sii!i-dial in Corner of C'itv Lawn 



are filled with loose earth, it is necessary to beat 
it. This is essential in order to insure intimate 
contact with the underlying soil, and if this is 
not secured the planter of the turf will have 
gained nothing. The roots will refuse to take 
hold of the under-soil, and the grass after a few 
days will die. Watering, of course, will tend 



LAWNS 51 

to prevent any such disaster and may be the 
means of nursing the turfs to healthful and vig- 
orous growth, but more frequently, if the 
grasses do not die, they will struggle slowly 
before they finally show signs of health and 
vigor. 

As a matter of fact, it is almost impossible 
to obtain really good sod in any quantity. 
Usually the turfs that are laid are filled with 
weeds and once the sod is down and established, 
it is almost impossible to exterminate them. 
Then it is extremeh^ difficult to prevent patches 
from failing utterly and leaving bare spots, 
where new grass is established only with the 
most painstaking care and persistence. As a 
general thing a turf lawn c^i not be established 
for two or three years and during that time it 
will almost invariably appear uneven and 
patchy, lacking uniformity of color and wanting 
in that freshness and texture which comes from 
proper seeding alone. 

THE SEEDED LAWN 

The seeded lawn established on a foundation 
of soil properly prepared is usually the most 
satisfactory lawn in the long run. Prepare the 
seed bed — ^after working the soil as already out- 



52 YARD AND GARDEN 

lined — by finely pulverizing the surface and 
making the top soil perfectly smooth. It 
should, of course, be freed from all rubbish, 
such as roots, stones and the like. Sow the 
seed in April or May or in September. In the 
South, however, seeding can be done in Febru- 
ary and November. If the spring is selected 
sow the seed as soon as the ground can be got 
into fit condition. Broadcast the seed. Dis- 
tribute it evenly over the entire surface of the 
ground and at the rate of not less than four 
bushels to the acre — five would be better. For 
smaller areas use at least one quart of seed 
to every 300 square feet. In England, noted 
for its fine velvety lawns, ly^ cwt. is used per 
acre and one pound per square rod. 

It is hardly necessary to suggest that a day 
should be selected for the sowing that is quiet, 
for wind will bear the fine seed away and half 
of it will be wasted, while an even distribution 
will be practically impossible. When sowing 
keep the hand close to the ground and swing the 
arm freely, taking care to scatter the seed thor- 
oughly, not allowing it to bunch. Do not hesi- 
tate to sow thickly. Thick sowing is an advan- 
tage in more ways than one. In the first place 
it prevents weeds from getting a firm foothold, 



LAWNS 53 

for they are crowded out by the grass seedlings, 
and in the second place it insures a finer grass 
leaf which in turn means a "velvety" lawn. 
Usually it is advisable to go over the ground 
twice. The first time sow from east to west 
and the second time from north to south. After 
the seed has been broadcasted, rake or harrow 
lightly the entire area so that the seeds are cov- 
ered very thinly. Follow this by rolling and 
if you desire the best results never omit this 
finishing process; it firms the ground and in- 
sures germination of the seed, while it gives the 
seedlings a firm foot-hold when they send their 
roots forth in quest of food. 

SEED FORMULiE 

Buy good seed. This is an economy and an 
essential for good lawns. The well-known 
Kentucky blue-grass is the best of all for the 
lawn. It is not difficult to grow ; indeed, where 
it refuses to grow, soil conditions are such that 
no permanent grass will thrive. Kentucky 
blue combines more desirable qualities, prob- 
ably, than any other grass, and on this account 
it should be made the foundation and principal 
ingredient of any mixture that is applied. The 
other ingredients of the mixture are important 



54 YARD AND GARDEN 

for various reasons. Chief among these is 
the fact that Kentucky blue-grass does not ger- 
minate quickly; if it is planted in the fall, for 
instance, there will be no results until the next 
spring, and if sown in the spring it will be some 
time before it makes even a light covering for 
the soil. 

Various formulae are offered by dealers in 
seeds, and where the dealer is known to be re- 
liable and is willing to furnish the purchaser 
with an analysis of his mixture, it is safe to pur- 
chase it and probably the best thing, all circum- 
stances considered, to do. But be sure in any 
event that the Kentucky blue-grass which 
should form the bulk of the mixture is ^^re- 
cleaned fancy, ' ' and do not accept any seed that 
weighs less than twenty pounds to the bushel. 
The object of the mixture is to insure im- 
mediate results from the sowing while the blue- 
grass is germinating, but incidentally the extra 
grasses mixed with the blue-grass serve addi- 
tional purposes. In the first place mixtures 
result in a denser turf because grasses thrive 
better when grown in variety. Then, too, the 
Kentucky blue-grass has some undesirable fea- 
tures and it is these that the other seeds in the 
mixture will correct. The Kentucky blue, for 



LAWNS 55 

instance, does not carpet the ground as closely 
as other varieties and when mowed shows 
patches of soil and brown. 

The best formula for general purposes is as 
follows : 

Kentucky blue-grass 10 lbs. 

Rhode Island bent 3 lbs. 

English rye 3 lbs. 

Fancy redtop 4 lbs. 

In any event this can be used as a basic mix- 
ture and by substituting various grasses suited 
to various situations for a portion of the Ken- 
tucky blue-grass, the mixture will be found gen- 
erally effective. 

Other mixtures are as follows : 

FOR SHADED SPOTS 

Poa pratensis (Kentucky blue) 40% 

Poa nemoralis (wood-meadow grass) , 40% 

Cynosurus cristatus (crested dog's-tail) 15% 

Festuca heterophylla (various-leaved fescue) 5% 

FOR SANDY SOILS 

Poa pratensis (Kentucky blue) 20% 

Agrostis canina ( Rhode Island bent) 35% 

Agrostis alba, var. stolonifera (creeping bent) . 35% 

Festuca ovina (sheep's fescue) 10% 

FOR CLAY SOILS 

Poa pratensis (Kentucky blue) 45% 

Agrostis alba, var. vulgaris ( Redtop) 35% 

Loliuni perenne, var. tenue (tine-leaved English rye) .... 20% 

FOR SLOPES AND TERRACES 

Poa pratensis (Kentucky blue) 15% 

Agrostis alba, var. stolonifera (creeping bent) 35% 

Cynosurus cristatus (crested dog's-tail) 30% 

Poa compressa (Canada blue) 20% 



56 YARD AND GARDEN 

FEEDING THE GRASS 

Wlien a lawn is properly treated in the pre- 
liminary stages and manure is incorporated 
with the soil as it is spaded or plowed and raked 
or harrowed, little need be done in the way of 
feeding the grass for six or seven years, but 
where the soil is thin or the lawn has been es- 
tablished for some time fertilizer of some sort 
is necessary. It should be remembered that the 
grass is feeding continuously and exhausting 
the plant food of the soil. What it is taking 
from the soil is not given back in any degree, 
because the grass is mowed and the mowings 
carted away. Then, too, it should be remem- 
bered that grass is a permanent crop and it is 
impossible, once it is established, to assist it by 
the cultivation which it is possible to give to 
other crops, whether they be flowers or vegeta- 
bles. 

Fertility can be added by spreading over the 
surface a dressing of organic manure. Use 
cow manure if it is possible to obtain it and 
place it on the lawn after the ground is frozen 
— this prevents the cutting of wheels of the cart 
or wheelbarrow into the sod. Be sure that the 
manure used is well rotted, that it is old. 



LAWNS 



57 







CD 




58 YARD AND GARDEN 

Fresh manure is not only damaging to the grass 
but is ahnost certain to be filled with minute 
seeds of various weeds. Let the manure re- 
main until early spring and a double benefit 
will be derived from the dressing. It will not 
only impart plant food to the soil, but it will 
serve as an effective mulch which will to a great 
extent overcome the injury caused by the alter- 
nate thawing and freezing during the winter. 
When the grass shows a vigorous growth in 
the spring, rake the coarser material from the 
lawn and follow this by rolling. 

In the spring it is best to top-dress the lawn 
with an application of finely ground bone meal 
mixed with hard-wood ashes. Combine the mix- 
ture by using equal parts of each by weight, 
and spread the fertilizer on the lawn until it 
takes upon itself a grayish appearance, or to 
be more exact at the rate of one ton to the acre. 
It is best to select a day for applying this top 
dressing that is still and promises a light rain. 
Another fertilizer that has a beneficial effect on 
lawns is nitrate of soda. Apply this at the 
rate of one ounce to the square yard, and make 
sure, if it is applied in dry form, that it is broad- 
casted immediately preceding a shower. It is 
perhaps best to apply this to the lawn by dis- 



LAWNS 59 

solving it in water, using one pint to forty gal- 
lons of water. The effect of nitrate of soda 
will be observed almost immediately; the grass 
will take on a fresher color, a deeper, richer 
green, and will make vigorous growth. Hard- 
wood ashes, however, are especially valuable as 
food for lawns of Kentucky blue-grass. Bone 
meal is one of the most permanent fertilizers, 
and is chiefly valuable, so far as grasses are 
concerned, for its pliosphates. Lime used on 
the lawn should be air-slacked; it is best as a 
winter dressing, and should be applied at the 
rate of a pint cup full to the square yard. 

ROLLING THE LAWN 

The application of fertilizer is by no means 
the only thing necessary to maintain a lawn in 
good condition. The turf must be rolled and 
the grass mowed and watered. Some indica- 
tion of the value of rolling has already been 
given in this chapter. It is important and 
should never be neglected where the best re- 
sults are sought. The rolling is necessary in 
order to make the roots as firm as possible and 
should be applied frequently. The heavier the 
roller the better it is for the lawn. In the 
spring as soon as the ground becomes work- 



60 YARD AND GARDEN 

able and the grass starts into growing, the en- 
tire surface of the lawn should be rolled to 
overcome the effects of the alternate freezing 
and thawing during the winter months, which 
has a tendency to loosen the surface soil. It 
will be readily observed that the heavier the 
soil and the more moist it is the more necessity 
there is for rolling. In using the roller it is 
best to roll in two directions at least, as was 
suggested for broadcasting the seed — that is, 
from north to south and from east to west. In 
selecting the roller obtain one that will repre- 
sent a weight of a thousand pounds at least. 
Very frequenth^ it will be found that old lawns 
which appear to be beyond the power of cul- 
tivation to bring back into condition, require 
nothing more than repeated applications of the 
roller, and in the case of new lawns very poor 
and disappointing results will follow the fail- 
ure of the planter to make use of this essential 
lawn device. 

MOWING 

No lawn can be kept in good condition un- 
less it is frequently mowed. The best method 
to follow in cutting the grass is to mow it once 
a week with the knives of the machine set high. 



LAWNS 



61 




K 



62 YAED AND GARDEN 

This is nmch better than mowing it at inter- 
vals of two weeks with the knives set low. Still 
it must not be considered that any regular in- 
terval can be designated for the mowing pro- 
cess; conditions must govern the cutting. If 
the growth is rapid, mowing may be necessary 
oftener than once a week, but where the lawn 
can be gone over with the machine at least 
once every six or seven days, the knives on the 
mower should not be set closer than two inches 
to the ground. In cases where the grass has 
been allowed to get unusually long, the knives 
should be set even higher for the first two or 
three mowings and then brought gradually 
lower until the proper distance from the 
ground is obtained. 

It is often a question whether the clippings 
resulting from the use of the mower should be 
left on the lawn or removed. If, however, the 
lawn is mowed frequently and the grass is kept 
at a uniform height of about two inches the 
clippings if left on the lawn will do no harm, 
but, on the contrary, very often will prove a 
benefit inasmuch as they will act, in some de- 
gree at least, as mulch and protect the roots, 
especially in the early spring, from the scorch- 
ing rays of the sun. But if the grass has been 



LAWNS 63 

allowed to gain a considerable growth, it will 
be positively detrimental to permit the clip- 
pings to remain. This is especially true where 
the soil is inclined to be heavy and the moisture 
it contains is not quickly given off. In such 
instances the cut grass hanging closely about 
the roots and there rotting will be the cause 
of not a little subsequent trouble. On lighter 
soils there is less danger from leaving the clip- 
pings on the lawn, and in some instances it is 
even better to do so. 

Grass that is cut on dull cloudy days will 
be found to yield itself more readily to the 
knives of the mower, and in addition to this 
will show less disposition to resent even close 
mowing than when a bright hot day is selected 
for the operation. 

WATERING 

It is a fallacy to proceed with the watering 
of a lawn on the basis that it is not good for 
the grass to wet it while the sun is shining. If 
watering is done as it should be it will make 
very little difference whether the day is bright 
or cloudy. Mere sprinkling is detrimental in 
any event and is to be avoided, especially on 
bright days. This method of ''watering" a 



64 YARD AND GARDEN 

lawn is undoubtedly the cause of much of the 
trouble experienced in obtaining the best re- 
sults where conditions would seem to indicate 
that they should be easily attained. Instead 
of playing a thin mist-like spray over the lawn, 
see to it that the ground is soaked; in other 
words, when you do water, water well. Apply 
enough so that the water will soak in the ground, 
saturating it for a depth of two or three inches 
at least. Remember that the roots of grasses 
as well as of other plants seek moisture where 
it is to be found. If you persist in lightly 
sprinkling your lawn the roots, instead of pene- 
trating to the cooler depths, will persist in 
remaining on the surface, where they soon 
become dry and baked by the sun. If, on the 
other hand, the roots find what they require at 
a depth of six or eight inches or a foot below 
the surface of the soil, they will make a growth 
in that direction to obtain it. 

In most cities, unfortunately, there are reg- 
ulations maintained by companies supplying 
water making it practically impossible to water 
a lawn as it should be watered. These regula- 
tions prohibit the use of a hose without the 
nozzle, and this in itself is a positive handicap 
for the owner of city property who is anxious 



LAWNS 



65 




66 YARD AND GARDEN 

to obtain a soft and velvety lawn. Where, 
however, regulations do not interfere, it is best 
to water without a nozzle, letting the water 
emerge unchecked from the hose and with the 
force of the stream so regulated that it will not 
wear holes in the turf. Let the end of the hose 
rest on the grass and as the ground becomes 
saturated with the water move it about from 
place to place until the whole area is thoroughly 
wet. Watering in this manner can be carried 
on at any time of the day whether the sun is 
bright or clouded. 

WEEDS 

The weed problem is one not so easily dis- 
posed of. Frequently a splendid lawn is 
ruined in a comparatively short time by allow- 
ing the weeds to gain a foothold, and permit- 
ting them to spread. Guard against any such 
catastrophe by keeping ahead of the pests. 
Remember that where a lawn is well kept, 
planted on a foundation of suitable soil, weeds 
will have a difficult time to establish themselves. 
Be sure each time the lawn is mowed to look 
carefully for the weeds. It is best always to 
dig out the dandelions and plantains before the 
mower is run over them. 



LAWNS 67 

Occasionally an effort is made to save a lawn 
that is overrun by these weeds, and the per- 
plexed owner seeks for some solution which, 
when applied, will kill the objectionable intrud- 
ers and do no harm to the grass. Let him 
understand now, once for all, that the only sure 
and safe method of eradication is by removing 
the weeds, root and all, by digging them out with 
hand tools. No other method will relieve the 
turf of dandelions, plantain or dock. Mowing 
does not kill them nor does cutting them off an 
inch or two below the surface of the soil. Both 
dandelions and plantains seed very rapidly 
and multiply at an enormous rate. They must 
not, therefore, be allowed to come to seed. Ee- 
move them or such of them as can be reached 
by the use of some tool, and if all the root, by 
this process, is not obtained, drop a crystal of 
sulphate of iron in the hole made by the oper- 
ation and this, dissolving, will kill the root re- 
maining. A drop or two of gasoline, if more 
convenient, can be used in place of the green 
vitriol. It is better, however, to get out the 
root in its entirety, than to rely on this or any 
other chemical of strong corrosive powers, 
which, in deadening the weed root, may also 
injure the grass. Have at hand a box of loose 



68 YAUD AND GARDEN 

soil and, if necessary, when the root is re- 
moved, fill up the hole and firm the soil so that 
the damage done is immediately repaired. 

WEED GRASSES 

Crab-grass is probably the worst and most 
objectionable weed that attacks lawns. It holds 
itself so close to the surface of the soil that the 
blades of the mower very seldom reach it, and, 
though it is an annual, it resows itself year after 
year and appears in early August to render 
almost unsightly any lawn where it has gained 
a foothold, no matter how persistently the lawn 
may be tended. It has broad, pale green 
leaves, and gives a patchy appearance to the 
general surface of the yard wherein it shows 
itself. When cold weather approaches, the 
crab-grass assumes a dead brownish-red color, 
and lends to the whole area a rusty appearance 
which very often leads the cultivator to believe 
that his grass is parched for lack of water. 
But no amount of watering will overcome the 
unsightly appearance occasioned by the pres- 
ence of crab-grass. Only one method of eradi- 
cating this pest is effective and this is one 
which is more troublesome than expensive. Ob- 
tain a steel rake with sharp pointed teeth, and 



LAWNS 69 

by means of this teai- ii[) the creei)int>- stems of 
the weed, lifting them clear from the soil and 
with a lawn-mower — after setting the knives 
very low — run over the grass, cutting oif the 
flowering heads of the intruder to prevent its 
seeding itself. 

If this operation is performed persistently 
for one or two seasons it is possible that the 
crab-grass can be eliminated. It is, as already 
said, an annual and, of course, is killed by the 
first heavy frost. If by the process outlined 
it is prevented from seeding itself, it is likely 
that the lawn will subsequently be free of it, 
but it must be remembered that it is utterly 
futile to run the mower over the grass with- 
out first destroying the hold of the creeping 
stems on the surface soil and lifting them 
within the reach of the blades of the machine. 

Other weed grasses which prove annoying 
are the well-known orchard grass and Ber- 
muda grass and occasionally timothy. The 
Bermuda grass is chiefly objectionable because 
it is discolored by the first touch of frost and 
leaves the lawn that it has invaded with brown 
patches on its surface which continue to be un- 
sightly until winter's snow spreads a conceal- 
ing mantle over the surface. In the South, 



70 



YARD AND GAEDEN 




LAWNS 71 

Bermuda grass is not objectionable, but, on the 
contrary, is really the main dependence of those 
desiring good lawns where the soil is light and 
sandy. But wherever orchard grass or timothy 
make their appearance they should be immedi- 
ately dug up, and if this process involves the 
rendering of the surface uneven, fill in with 
soil as already advised and scatter lawn grass 
seed on its surface. 

INSECTS AND MOLES 

Ants are the most serious of the minor in- 
sects that infest lawns, and though they do not 
directly attack the grasses themselves they do 
no end of injury by loQsening the soil and tun- 
neling under the roots. Usually the pests are 
killed by the application of boiling water, but, 
as this means a subsequent resowing of seed, 
it is best to proceed against them by a method 
at once simple and effective. Use bi-sulphite 
of carbon; it is a heavy volatile liquid which 
sinks quickly into the opening in the ant-hill 
and immediately gives forth fumes which, be- 
ing heavier than the air, penetrate at once to 
the remotest sections of the runs in the home. 
Apply it by pouring into a hill of average size 
a tablespoonful of the liquid and laying over 



72 YARD AND GARDEN 

the opening a damp cloth or some substitute 
that will serve to prevent the insects from es- 
caping. In purchasing the bi-sulphite of car- 
bon remember, if your druggist does not warn 
you, that it is highly inflammable and easily 
exploded; keep it away from the neighborhood 
of an open fire. It can be used as effectively 
in fighting other burrowing and tunneling in- 
sects as in the eradication of ants. 

The mole, while not often appearing in cit- 
ies, is frequently the cause of considerable 
trouble to the sul)urban and country resident. 
In the course of a night or two a very few of 
these animals, once they start their tunneling 
process on a lawn, can cause damage that is 
not likely to be repaired in the course of a 
month or so. They seldom appear, however, 
where the roller is properly used, for they pre- 
fer to follow the line of least resistance and 
will betake themselves to sections of the ground 
less forbidding if the roller has packed the soil 
as it should. Poisoned bait is sometimes used 
in ridding a lawn area of these animals, but 
as the mole is carnivorous, avoid applying the 
poison in the form of grain. Poison in any 
event is dangerous, for it may be eaten by 
household pets or poultry instead of by the 



LAWNS 73 

animals for which it is intended. Mole traps 
are the safest and surest devices for ridding 
the lawn of the intruders. 

RENOVATING OLD LAWNS 

Old lawns are quite as often problems as new 
lawns. Where one person is inquiring how he 
may establish a close soft turf for his yard, 
nine are asking what to do to renovate their 
old lawns. In many instances renovation is 
impossible and where such is the case the only 
sure method to pursue is to proceed as though 
no lawn had ever existed on the area under 
consideration. In short, renovate the old lawn 
by plowing it up and planting a new one. It is 
not meant, of course, to advise any one to pro- 
ceed on such a radical course without due 
thought, but to warn him against wasting time 
and energy in work that will poorly reward him 
in the end. When a lawn is overrun by weeds 
— dandelions, plantains, docks or weed grasses 
— and it appears that the eradication of these 
will practically destroy the lawn surface, it is 
best to begin by using at once the spade or the 
plow. 

But if the grass is not attacked by these 
weeds and the soil appears to be in a good state 



74 YARD AND GARDEN 

of cultivation and of a proper depth, it is prob- 
able that the problem can be solved by loosen- 
ing the surface soil with a steel rake and sow- 
ing seed. Seed-sowing, however, will avail 
nothing if the lawn owes its deterioration to an 
exhaustion of the plant food in the soil. Nor 
will the application of fertilizer help; mere 
dressings of bone meal or barnyard manure, 
no matter how abundant, will not serve the 
purpose. It is cheaper and quicker to put the 
soil in ''good heart" by submitting it to such 
treatment as would be meted out to virgin 
ground. 



CHAPTER V 

VINES 

No plants lend themselves more gracefully 
to the improvement of the small city yard than 
vines. With these, most remarkable and sur- 
prising effects can be attained with little ex- 
pense and little care. Wherever they are 
grown they add beauty to the scene, acting as 
harmonizing agents, relieving the general ef- 
fect of any appearance of stiffness or formal- 
ity. Beautiful and graceful in themselves, 
they conceal all the unsightly places and ob- 
jects and obliterate all the harsh outlines or 
the straight lines which are nature's abhor- 
rence. They convert into a thing of beauty a 
dilapidated fence, turn a stone into a verita- 
ble mound of foliage, twist and twine them- 
selves about a dead tree and make of it a pillar 
of leaf and flower, or, hanging in festoons from 
porch or window boxes, they produce a picture 

75 



76 YAKD AND GARDEN 

that varies in its form and cliarm with every 
vagrant breeze of a summer's day. Trained 
over arches, gates, or pergolas, they shed a 
grateful shade and afford some shelter from 
sudden showers. 

EFFECTIVENESS OF VINES 

Much of the pictures(ju.eness of the old ruins 
of European castles owes its existence to the 
kindly offices of the vines grown to their walls. 
They mellow the defects and impart an at- 
mosphere of age and permanency, and always 
the dense green of their foliage is a relief to 
the eyes in summer and soothing to tired and 
discordant nerves. They will grow very fre- 
quently where other plants will not thrive and, 
once gaining a foothold, they may thrust their 
stems even to the highest point of a hrick wall 
of some city office building. Here, clinging to 
the masonry, they weather every storm, resist 
the burning rays of the sun and transform the 
building as neither carpenter nor painter can 
do. Whether they are grown on the walls and 
terraces of the mansion or on the limited 
grounds of the cottage they never fail to pro- 
duce an effective picture. Moreover, with their 
dense green foliage as a background, the artis- 



VINES 77 

tic planter can work wonders with flowers and 
shrubs which otherwise might prove too bizarre 
for use in small yards. 

Indeed, the owner of a city lot who is intent 
upon its ornamentation can do no better than 
to start upon his work with the planting of 
vines. Before he finally determines to remove 
some object which he considers an eyesore, let 
him first consider whether a vine would not 
only conceal the object but convert it into some- 
thing to be desired as an acquisition in his 
general plan of operations. 

Vines are cheap and easily obtained. They 
are to be had wherever a wood is to be found, 
or, lacking such natural nursery, they quickly 
respond to the treatment which even an inex- 
perienced amateur can afford them, as they root 
readily from cuttings, or ''slips." They can 
also be grown from seed, all the annuals being 
obtained by this method almost exclusively and 
many of the perennials doing almost equally 
as well when similarly treated. 

CLASSIFICATION OF VINES 

Vines may be roughly divided into twiners, 
leaf-twisters, tendril-bearers, those with aerial 
roots and those which gain support by means 



78 • YARD AND GARDEN 

of prickles or hooks and which usually require 
tying to a trellis or support of some sort. The 
morning-glories are familiar examples of the 
first, the clematis of the second, the grape of 
the third, the ivy of the fourth and the climb- 
ing, or to be more exact, the scrambling rose 
of the fifth. 

The larger number of the climbing plants 
that are cultivated, are those which make their 
ascent by twining about their supports or em- 
ploying special organs in the form of roots or 
tendrils with which to effect their rise. It is 
interesting to note that each species of twining 
plant winds in its- own direction about its sup- 
port, following this course under all normal or 
ordinary conditions. The morning-glories, for 
instance, twine in a direction which is opposed 
to the movement of the sun, while the hops pre- 
fer a course which is in the direction of the 
sun's movement. 

With this rough classification as a basis a 
long list of climbing plants suitable for culti- 
vation on the home grounds might be given. 
All are well equipped in foliage, flower or 
berry, suitable for use in the city yard. And 
of these there are varieties for almost every 
situation and every purpose. There are annu- 



VINES 



79 




W ild (ii-.^K' From \\<i()(l- 111 ( ity N .mi 



80 YARD AND GARDEN 

als and perennials — those wliicli spring from 
seed and make their full growth and flower in 
a season's thne, then perish with the first touch 
of frost, and those which persist year after 
year, either coming up from the root each 
spring or putting forth their leaves and flowers 
from the old stems. 

In most instances where permanent effects 
are desired the hardy perennial vines should 
be selected. Many of these are known as 
shrubs by those who insist on an exact ter- 
minology, the body of the plant being woody 
and enduring year after year. Others are 
herbs dying to the ground each fall, the root 
alone subsisting from season to season. The 
chief value of these is their foliage, for of this 
the amateur can always feel assured, though 
there are, of course, many vines which bear 
flowers, but which, owing to the conditions un- 
der which they are raised, frequently fail to 
produce blossoms. 

The annuals are valuable as a rule for both 
their foliage and flowers. The morning-glory, 
which has already been used as an illustration, 
is an example. The annual vines are best 
adapted for quick concealment of unsightly ob- 
jects and the most of them make rapid growth 



VINES 81 

which soon covers arcli, trellis, or support of 
whatever nature it ma}' he. 

SOIL FOR VINES 

While it has been suggested that the common 
perennial and annual vines are not exacting as 
to the conditions demanded for their health, 
still it is a fact that their requirements and 
culture are too often given but small consider- 
ation by the planter. They are frequently set 
out when preparation has been meager, estab- 
lished in poor soil sometimes made up largely 
of rubbisli or of earth from which all the food 
has been extracted by other plants. Still, even 
under such conditions, vines struggle into leaf 
and occasionally into flower, but it should be 
remembered that it is futile to expect a free 
and luxuriant growth — which is a vine's chief 
charm — ^where the plants are neglected, or per- 
haps actually abused. It is common to observe 
a plant obtained from a florist or nurseryman 
turned out from a pot into a hole barely large 
enough to receive the ball of earth and dug in 
ground which has not been prepared by culti- 
vation of any sort for the reception of the 
roots. Naturally such treatment will not lend 
encouragement to the best and healthiest 



82 YARD AND GARDEN 

growth of the vine. It is far better to make 
too much preparation than to starve plants by 
too little. The ideal method to pursue, whether 
the vines be annuals or perennials, is to trench 
the ground thoroughly where they are to go, 
either working well-rotted manure into the old 
compost or filling in with a rich, fresh, friable 
loam. 

Good sound loam is the best soil for the 
greatest number of climbing plants and, unless 
the amateur is experienced with varieties which 
are difficult to grow, he will find that this soil, 
with the addition of manure, will insure him 
excellent results. Where soils are stitf they 
can frequently be put into good condition by 
the addition of leaf mold, some sand and the 
manure, and where the soils are thin or sandy 
the addition of loam together with the manure 
will often prove effective. 

CULTIVATION 

If plants are ordered from a nursery and 
are received in pots, they may be planted out 
at almost any season between early spring and 
late autumn. In planting those that have been 
grown in pots, they should be turned out gently, 
disturbing as little as possible the root ball. 



VINES 83 

Make sure that the hole prepared for the re- 
ception of the plant is ample and that the roots 
when they begin to reach out into the new soil 
will not encounter obstacles in the form of 
stones or unyielding clods to impede their 
progress and stunt the plant by starvation. 
It is usually best after planting to make the 
soil firm and solid. Then see to it at once that 
the plants have something upon which to lift 
themselves until they fasten by the natural 
means they employ to the permanent support 
upon which they are to climb upward. When 
vines require tying, the operation should be- 
gin immediately, even though the stem to be 
operated upon may be exceedingly short. It 
may perhaps be of some service to suggest 
that where vines are to be established in soil 
already crowded with the roots of trees or 
shrubs, a bottomless wooden cask or box may 
be sunk and this in turn tilled with a suitable 
compost which will enable the climber to make 
sufficient root growth to support itself until it 
has gained strength and can hold its own with 
the other roots. 

While it is important to give consideration 
to the proper preparation of the soil where 
the climber is to be planted, it must not be 



84 YARD AND GARDEN 

forgotten that it will respond generously to 
good treatment accorded after it has estab- 
lished itself. Only too frequently vigorous 
vines display signs of failure and decrepitude 
because their roots fail to find food enough 
to supply them with sustenance. Such plants 






r% 










%^ 



Flowers of the Clematis 
( Clematis Juchniani) 

can be re-invigorated and maintained in healthy, 
thriving condition by annual applications of 
manure and an occasional top dressing with 
fresh soil and artificial fertilizers. Liquid ma- 
nure, wherever it can be applied without of- 
fensive effects, will be found the most rapid 
agent in restoring a plant's strength and vigor. 



VINES 85 

Then also it must be remembered that vines 
growing against walls where they are subjected 
to the direct and reflected rays of the sun re- 
quire suitable quantities of water and, in dry 
weather, should be bountifully supplied with 
moisture. Apply the water by letting it soak 
into the soil until the ground is thoroughly sat- 
urated for a depth of half a dozen inches or 
more. 

Another point in the cultivation of some vines 
is that a few of them thrive best when the lower 
part of the stems is shaded from the direct 
etfects of the sun, even though the top portions 
may be in the direct line of the sun's rays. 
Such a vine is the clematis. Its requirement 
in this respect is easily satisfied by planting 
in front of it or near it some small plant which 
will supply the shade it desires. 

PRUNING 

The beginner is likely to hear much on the 
subject of the necessity for pruning permanent 
vines, and no doubt he will encounter many op- 
posing opinions. It is practically impossible, 
however, to detail the various treatments 
which the different plants require. It must be 
remembered that some vines produce their 



86 YARD AND GARDEN 

flowers on the old wood matured the season 
before, and in such instances the strong growths 
should not be cut back, but the weak ones, how- 
ever, should be sacrificed without hesitation 
and all decayed wood should be cut out imme- 
diately upon its discovery. Other vines pro- 
duce their bloom on the young shoots of the 
current season and in such cases it is the old 
wood that should be eliminated and the fresh 
young shoots encouraged. Still others flower 
only on spurs that are sent out by the old wood 
and these climbers are best pruned by cutting 
out the weakly shoots and reducing the length 
of those remaining. But in every case a study 
of the particular species is essential. In some 
instances where the climbers have been set in 
position where they are not on parade, it is 
probably the wisest policy to limit the pruning 
to which they are submitted to the cutting out 
of the dead wood. This, however, is not to be 
taken as a general policy to follow for, wher- 
ever the best results are desired, pruning will 
be found to be essential. Even the freest 
rambling rose is materially benefited and im- 
proved by pruning which, to the novice, may 
appear to be extraordinarily and uselessly se- 
vere. Clematis, too, must be cut back if it is 



VINES 87 

to i^roduce the best results of which it is capa- 
ble. 

In decorating a yard the gardener will find 
that vines lend themselves to any plan he may 
devise. In fact, it is hardly possible that his 
yard can be artistically planted without the 
use of vines in numerous varieties. He should 
remember that they require but lijttle room and 
lift themselves above the other plants, mak- 
ing it possible to set vines and shrubs in the 
same bed or border if desired, and thereby 
obtain an effect which, were flowers and shrubs 
alone relied upon, would be well nigh impossi- 
ble. It requires, indeed, but little consideration 
to arrive at the conclusion that, however small 
the space to be planted, there may be vines in 
every desirable nook and corner, and still 
neither the lawn nor the flower-beds and bor- 
ders will be encroached upon to any great ex- 
tent. 

PERENNIAL VINES 

Although there are innumerable sorts ready 
for the planter's use still it is best to rely for 
the most part on the better-known varieties. 
A vine which will respond generously to the 
treatment accorded it by the average novice is 
the Virginia Creeioer {Ampelopsis quinquefo- 



88 YAED AND GARDEN 

lia). Its good x^oints are its quick growth, its 
absolute hardiness, its extraordinary beauty 
when it wears its summer dress of green foliage 
and its gorgeous hues when it dons an autumn 
robe of red and adds a touch of purple with 
its dainty berries. The Virginia Creeper, or 
woodbine as it is sometimes called, is easily 
obtained and can be found in almost any wood, 
or growing along fences by country roads. It 
is available for use as a screen and with its 
rapid growth will hide a multitude of sins in 
a surprisingly short time. Its one bad feature, 
so far as small places are concerned, is its 
tendency to grow to the top, and as the top 
gains in strength and mass of spread, the vine 
ceases to show leaves near its roots. While 
this makes a plant desirable for growing up 
old trees or for hiding from view dead tops, 
it renders it of little use in screening objects 
of less height, although in its younger years 
it answers this purpose very well. It tends 
also to exhaust the soil rapidly and its roots 
ramble subterraneously over a considerable 
territory. The familiar ^^ Dutchman's Pipe," 
(Aristolochia macropliylla), however, a robust 
grower with enormous leaves, continues to 
throw out its foliasre from the base and so 



VINES 



89 




Lity lie^icU'iico C oveied with Woodbine 
{Ampclopsis qninquefoUa ) 



90 YAED AND GARDEN 

answers admirably for covering whatever it 
grows upon near the ground. It is also a 
climber but, growing with uniform density from 
the base up, it is suitable for arbors or large 
fence spaces or for verandas and pergolas. 

Considering the climbing roses as vines, the 
strongest growers and those producing under 
ordinary treatment the best results, are the 
Crimson Rambler with red blossoms and the 
Dorothy Perkins with pink. Both are entirely 
hardy and will thrive year after year, especially 
if pruning is attended to with any degree of 
regularity. The Wichuraiana rose is also de- 
sirable, its foliage being to a considerable ex- 
tent evergreen, a feature which makes it of 
value in situations which are conspicuous in 
the winter. The Wichuraiana is also known as 
the Memorial Rose, and though it lacks the bril- 
liant color of the Crimson Rambler, in some 
respects it is better than the latter. As a 
climber for covering porches, trellises and 
arches or as a creeper for covering steep banks, 
it is probably unequalled so far as the roses are 
concerned. Another advantage it joossesses is 
its apparent freedom from the attacks of in- 
sects or disease. One especial use to which it 
can be put to advantage is to plant it in the 



VINES 91 

earth at the top of some high retaining wall or 
bank, letting its branches droop over and hang 
toward the level below. The Dorothy Perkins 
has the same strong habit of growth as the more 
familiar Crimson Rambler and the flowers are 
borne in clusters of thirty or forty. 

From time to time new varieties of climbing 
roses are introduced and almost all of them are 
well worth planting l)ut the beginner will doubt- 
less find that the red, pink and white blossoms 
of the Rambler, Dorothy Perkins and the Wich- 
uraiana will answer his purposes. Climbing 
roses should be planted no closer than four feet 
and the soil in which they are set should be more 
deeply cultivated than for other vines. In 
training them avoid taking their stems in a di- 
rectly vertical course for this tends to take the 
sap to the top and to denude the lower x>art of 
the plant. Avoid this by bending the shoot in 
one direction or another then permitting it to 
take its upward trend if desired. 

Clematises are familiar vines in many places 
and because of their good qualities should be 
even more extensively grown than they are. 
They require a fairly rich soil of a light, loamy 
character and will l)e all tlie liai)pier if a little 
lime or old mortar is mixed with it. The soil 



92 YAED AND GARDEN 

in wliicli they are planted should be well 
drained, and each year should be enriched by a 
top dressing of cow manure. They are used in 
many places to cover walls, mounds, trellises, 
arbors or porches. Unfortunately, clematises 
are subject to a disease which often results fa- 
tally. When planted close to buildings where 
the ground does not freeze to a great depth this 
disease is responsible for many disappoint- 
ments. It is due to a parasite which it is be- 
lieved is killed by hard freezing; indeed, no 
other remedy so far as is known exists. The 
vines should in all cases be fastened securely 
to the trellises upon which they are supported 
to prevent their being whipped about by the 
winds ; training the vines upon strings or simi- 
lar insecure devices is therefore to be avoided. 
Clematis fammula or sweet clematis blooms 
early in July; Clematis paniculata is a strong, 
vigorous grower and in late summer produces 
sheets of pure white flowers of the most pleas- 
ing fragrance. Both are perfectly hardy. The 
finest hybrids, including Clematis J ackmani and 
its varieties, are widely used and much admired. 
The plants bear large, intense violet-purple 
flowers remarkable for richness of color; they 
are free in growth and abundant and successive 



VINES 




94 YARD AND GARDEN 

bloomers. Clematis Henryi is another good 
variety, ^ a free grower and bloomer, bearing 
cream-white blossoms. A red variety of the 
large flowering Clematis can be had under va- 
rious trade names. 

The Honeysuckle is valuable for many pur- 
poses and particularly for its sweet-scented 
flowers. Lonicera sempervirens, L. Japonica 
and L. Halliana, which is half evergreen in 
the north, are the best for general uses. 

A vine which is especially valuable for cling- 
ing to walls is Ampelopsis Veitchi, or Boston 
ivy, as it is popularly known. Its leaves are 
small and overlap one another, forming a sheet 
of green. It is somewhat tender in its early 
years and requires, for the first winter at least, 
ample protection; once established, however, 
there is small danger of its suffering from low 
temperature. It grows rapidly and its foliage 
is extraordinarily handsome in summer and as- 
sumes a crimson hue in autumn. It requires 
no support but clings to brick and stone struc- 
tures readily and, while it encounters some dif- 
ficulty in gaining a firm hold on wooden build- 
ings, it seldom fails to succeed in supporting 
itself. 

Other vines which will thrive in the city yard 



VINES 95 

and which the planter should carefully consider 
when he is making his plans are the Trumpet 
Creeper (Tecoma radicans), Actinidia arguta, 
a strong-growing vine from Japan with large 
leaves and white purple-centered flowers; 
Akebia quinata, el rapid-growing vine bearing 
five-fingered leaves and sweet-scented flowers 
of a plum color, appearing near the end of 
April; Celastrus scandens, or the false bitter- 
sweet, with scarlet fruit pods that are highly 
ornamental; Wistaria midtijiiga, (known often- 
times as W. Chinensis), and W. speciosa. All 
these vines possess shrubby tops and do not 
die back in the fall. A list of vines which 
die back to the ground or nearly so in winter 
but whose roots persist from year to year will 
include many of the most decorative plants of 
the sort for general use. Among these is the 
cinnamon vine {Dioscorea divaricata). An- 
other vine which should be more generally 
planted is Euonymus radicans; it is a splen- 
did evergreen creeping plant with small pretty 
foliage and though it is rather slow growing, it 
is exceedingly useful for covering low stone 
walls or stumps. It has been said that it is not 
reliably hardy but in many situations it has 
endured a temperature as low as twenty de- 



96 YARD AND GARDEN 

grees below zero and this without any winter 
protection whatever. 

ANNUAL VINES 

Among the annuals are many easily grown 
plants of extraordinary value and beauty. The 
morning-glories and moon-vines come under 
this head, and one might of course consider the 
sweet-peas as belonging to the same division. 
Early-growing nasturtiums — always effective 
when trained on low wire trellises — yield lux- 
uriant foliage and hundreds of flowers in the 
course of a season. All are readily grown from 
seed and, with the exception of the sweet-peas, 
which require elaborate treatment compared 
with the others, will reward the planter with 
quantities of blossom even when they are neg- 
lected and abused. Their rapid growth makes 
them especially useful as screens and frequently 
an unsightly spot in the yard where, for in- 
stance, a garbage can is kept, may be entirely 
hidden from view in a comparatively short time 
by the use of either nasturtiums or morning-" 
glories. The latter have the troublesome habit 
of seeding themselves and when a vine is per- 
mitted to produce seeds, it is not unlikely that 
the planter thereafter will have some difficulty 



VINES 97 

in ridding the spot where it grew of volunteer 
vines in subsequent seasons. 

TRELLISES 

Where the perennial vines are planted it is 
best to give them artificial supports that are of 
a permanent nature. Nothing is gained by 
erecting flimsy trellises which, as soon as the 
vines have taken hold upon them, begin to waver 
under their weight. Old gas-pipe is to be had 
very cheaply in most cities and this, when well 
set in the ground, affords a splendid and ef- 
fective support which will last many years, and, 
once the vine is established upon it, will relieve 
the gardener of the necessity of marring the 
growth by tearing it down in order to 
strengthen the support. When vines are to be 
attached to frame houses which, of course, will 
require painting from season to season, it is 
l)est to provide a support which is separate 
from the wall. This may be made of wire net 
or of wood lattice and, if constructed with some 
thought, may be removed, with the vine cling- 
ing to it, laid back until the painter has com- 
pleted his work, and then, without disturbing 
the climber, replaced. Such devices are best 
made of a strong wood frame upon which the 



98 . YARD AND GARDEN 

wire net is stretched. If desired, tlie bottom of 
the frame may be attached to the house by 
hinges and the top made secure by screws which 
can be readily removed. With these with- 
drawn, the trellis can be laid back on its hinges 
and, the painters dej^arted, quickly restored to 
its former position. 



CHAPTER VI 

ANNUALS 

It is with annual rather than with biennial 
or with perennial plants that most planters of 
small city gardens are familiar. The three 
groups are well marked and the characteristics 
of each well defined. Annuals, strictly speak- 
ing, are plants which normally survive but a 
single season, maturing from seed, producing 
seed and completing their cycle of life. Bien- 
nials live two years and the term, accurately 
applied, describes an exceedingly small group 
of plants which do not bear flowers or fruit 
until the second season following the planting 
of the seed. Of all the species of seed-bearing 
plants, it has been estimated that only one or 
two per cent, are true biennials. Perennials 
live from year to year and include, naturally, 
trees, shrubs and herbs, but, as the term is gen- 
erally employed in relation to decorative gar- 
dening, it is applied to those non-woody plants 
more properly known as ^4iardy herbaceous 



100 YAED AND GAEDEN 

perennials." These inelnde such well-known 
species as Peony and Phlox. 

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF ANNUALS 

Among the annuals are found some of the 
showiest plants in cultivation, and, inasmuch 
as they are, generally speaking, easily grown, 










Annual Phlox (P. Drummondu) 



additional merit on this account must be ac- 
corded the group. They afford a variety of 
brilliant colors and delicate fragrance, produce 
quick results, bloom at various seasons and at- 
tain varying heights. They are valuable in 
beds by themselves, as edgings for other beds 
or for walks, as trailers or vines, or in con- 



ANNUx\LS 101 

junction with borders of hardy shrul)s or her))a- 
ceous plants. In the latter employment they 
serve to replace perennials that failed to sur- 
vive the winter or to cover bare spots which 
frequently occur in the hardy borders. 

Annuals are usually divided into Jthree 
classes : 

(1) Hardy annuals, or those sown directly 
in the open ground where they are to bloom. 
Many of these resent transplanting and, when 
the seeds have germinated, demand only thin- 
ning. Hardy annuals are the earliest to be 
sown outdoors. 

(2) Half-hardy annuals, or those which are 
usually sown indoors under glass and later 
transplanted to the blooming beds. Sown out- 
doors, weather conditions must be such as to 
indicate that all danger of frost is past. 

(3) Tender annuals, or those which require 
more heat than the half-hardy varieties, and 
which can not be safely transplanted outdoors 
until there is an assured temperature of not 
less than fifty-five or sixty degrees. These also 
are started indoors. 

Catalogues usually make these divisions, and 
when once the meaning of the term is thor- 
oughly understood there is less danger of fail- 



102 YARD AND GARDEN 

ure on the part of the amateur in dealing with 
them. 

EARLY PLANTING 

To obtain early flowers from annuals, in the 
North, seed must be sown in flats or pans or 
boxes and set in sunny windows until the seed- 
lings grow strong enough to bear transplant- 
ing. Often this is begun entirely too early. 




Single and Double Zinnias 

Dwelling houses, as a rule, are altogether un- 
suitable for raising plants successfully from 
seed, and especially for ''growing them on," 
as the florists call it, until it is time to set them 
out in outdoor beds. The seed, in most in- 
stances, will germinate, and, given the right 



ANNUALS 103 

conditions, the seedlings will thrive, but most 
beginners find it impossible to give the little 
plants these "right conditions." It is, there- 
fore, best to give them as short a period in the 
house as possible and, at the same time, effect 
a gain in point of early flowering. So, instead 
of attempting to gain too much time, which in 
seven cases out of ten results in absolute fail- 
ure, it is better to gain, say only three weeks, 
and have the effort crowned with success. To 
do this, sow the seeds in the house in the first 
week of April. There is much expert advice, 
of course, to the effect that March sowing is 
none too early, but there are, so far as the ex- 
periences of beginners are concerned, com- 
paratively few cases where results from March 
sowing in the long run equal those of April 
planting. 

INDOOR SOWING 

The best plan to follow is to adopt the method 
employed by the florist — sow the seeds in flats. 
*' Flats" are more convenient than mysterious; 
they are easily made, cheap and admirably 
adapted to the purpose. They are nothing 
more than boxes, twelve or eighteen inches wide 
and twice as long and three or four inches deep. 



104 YARD AND GARDEN 

The width and length may vary to suit the 
planter, although a box a foot and a half wide 
and two and a half or three feet long is more 
easily handled, but the depth must not be 
greater than four inches. Three, probably, for 
the average amateur is better. Empty cigar 
boxes are often used, and do very well indeed. 
Bore half a dozen holes in the bottom and over 
these place bits of crock, concave enough in 
form to permit surplus water to escape under 
them easily and quickly. Next put in a layer 
of coarse earth — unsifted loam — and, on top of 
this, place the finer soil. This must be sifted, 
made rich with old manure, with sand enough 
added to render it thoroughly porous. Press 
the soil down firmly, especially along the ends 
and sides and in the corners, dampen slightly, 
and sow the seed. 

Sow very fine seed broadcast, scattering it 
thinly over the surface and pressing it in the 
soil with a block of wood. For larger seeds, 
sprinkle a little dirt on top — barely enough to 
cover them — and for seeds large enough to 
handle separately supply a heavier covering of 
soil. A safe rule to apply is to plant the big 
seeds at a depth three times their diameter. If, 
after the seed is planted, it appears that the 



ANNUALS 



105 



soil is too dry, sprinkle lightly with water, tak- 
ing care not to wash the seed out. Then cover 
the box or flat with a glass and sheet of white 
paper and place it in a warm place. A shelf 
above a radiator or stove is a fairly good situa- 
tion, provided the heat is not too intense. Lit- 
tle light is needed until the seeds germinate, 



I 




Snapdragon 




China Aster 



when, of course, they must be moved to lighter 
quarters. Watch the glass closely, for it will 
act, in a sense, as a barometer. When there is 
too much moisture in the soil, drops will form 
on the glass. Eaise it and wipe off the surplus 
moisture, and let it remain elevated so that the 
dry air can strike the earth and rid it of the 



106 YARD AND GARDEN 

excess dampness. Careful attention to this de- 
tail will prevent the ''damping off" of the seed- 
lings, which so often discourages the beginner. 
If, on the other hand, the soil threatens to be- 
come too dry, sprinkle lightly with water, or, 
if the flat be small enough, set it in a pan of 
luke-warm water and let it absorb the water 
through the drainage holes in the bottom. 

As the plants make growth, give more air, 
removing the white paper entirely and slightly 
elevating the glass. As growth continues, sup- 
ply more air, and when the seedlings put out 
their second leaves place the flat in a light, 
warm window, making sure to screen the boxes 
from the sun. White paper is also excellent 
for this. When the first true leaves appear, 
dispense with the glass and gradually expose 
the plants to more sun. 

TRANSPLANTING SEEDLINGS 

By the time conditions outdoors permit trans- 
planting, the seedlings should be strong enough 
and at the same time enough hardened to en- 
dure the shock without any marked set-back. 
But in some instances it may be necessary to 
transplant before the outside conditions will 
permit a transfer immediately to the blooming 



ANNUALS 107 

bed. In such case transplant either to other 
flats — constructed in the same way — or else to 
what are called ' ' thumb pots, ' ' miniature flower 
pots easily obtained of any florist at yery small 
cost. These, howeyer, are not necessary, any 
sort of receptacle serying yery well for the 
seedlings. In transplanting thus to other 




Transplanting Seedlings to " Thumb-Pots." 

boxes, allow the young plants all the space you 
can afford; if set too close together their roots 
will intertwine and it will be difficult later on, 
when you come to set them in their permanent 
beds, to separate them without damaging them 
seyerely. 

In any case, it is very important that the 



108 YARD AND GARDEN 

seedlings do not become siDindly. To prevent 
this, increase the light and turn the boxes oc- 
casionally, so that one side is not always next 
to the window. 

Select seeds for planting indoors with some 
care. Earliness alone is hardly worth striving 
for. The plant so treated blooms for only a 
definite period, say four weeks. In such a case, 
of course, what you would gain at one end you 
would lose at the other. But in many instances, 
especially in the case of verbenas and petunias, 
a month's start means a clear gain, for the 
plants, once they begin to bloom, will continue 
to bloom until frost. 

IMPORTANCE OF GOOD BEDS 

It is strange, to say the least, that many 
persons observe carefully all the little points 
necessary to insure success with seeds planted 
indoors, but prepare the outdoor beds in a man- 
ner at once indifferent and careless. Three- 
fourths of the failures are due to this lack of 
thoroughness. In spring, the most of us, 
whether flower-raising is our hobby or not, 
want to plant. We rush into it, hastily and in- 
completely preparing the beds, sow the seeds, 
watch with increasing interest the germination, 



ANNUALS 109 

and then feel not only regret but wonder when 
the seedlings droop, wrther and die. We at- 
tribute the trouble to the seeds. But the simple 
truth is, the fault is our own. We deliberately 
precipitate a floral tragedy; we deceive the 
plants ; lead them to believe that the alluring 
surface conditions with which we provide them 
extend to sufficient depth to accommodate their 
roots, but when they reach out and down, hope- 
fully and trustfully, they encounter stones and 
clods and soil as hard as cement. Not even the 
spade could penetrate it easily. The hot sun 
bakes the surface soil, blisters the fine roots, 
and, in the end, instead of bloom and frag- 
rance, we have a dismal bed of dead and dying 
plants. 

The careful gardener provides against any 
such catastrophe with his annuals by preparing 
his beds with that thoroughness which alone 
insures success. He realizes that it is better 
to spend time and labor in the beginning and 
to begin right than -to exhaust patience later 
and suffer disappointment as well. A poorly 
made bed never produced a good flower, and 
annuals, although quick in their growth, de- 
mand proper rooting conditions if they are to 
do their best. 



110 



YARD AND GARDEN 



THE MOST SUITABLE SOIL 

The ideal annual flower-bed is within the 
reach of every person who has any flower-bed 
at all. First of all, it means suitable soil, and, 
in the second place, it means thorough treat- 
ment of this soil. If your ground is heavy — 
clayish in quality — or light — due to too much 





stocks 



Shirley Poppies 



sand — it is often best to get rid of it entirely. 
Outline the size of the bed, making sure not to 
make it too wide to permit easy access to every 
part of it, and excavate the poor soil to a depth 
of two feet. Cart it away. Level off the bot- 
tom and place a five- or six-inch layer of drain- 



ANNUALS 111 

age material on it. Sand or gravel or cinders 
will answer the purpose. Then on top of this 
put in the new soil, which should consist of 
rich, tine loam, leaf-mold and well-rotted cow 
manure in approximately equal parts. In till- 
ing, bring the surface of the bed three or four 
inches higher than the surface of the surround- 
ing ground, to allow for settling, and do not 
attempt to sow seeds or set out plants in it 
until this settling has occurred. 

But if the soil where the bed is to be made 
is satisfactory, such trouble, of course, is 
avoided. Remember, however, that where no 
bed has ever been made before, the earth must 
be spaded to a depth of eighteen inches at least 
— two feet is even better. All roots and stones 
must be removed and the clods thoroughly pul- 
verized. Begin by removing the surface soil 
to a depth of six inches, casting it to one side. 
Then spade the sub-soil to the required depth, 
incorporating with it well-rotted manure, and, 
when this is done, return the surface soil, mak- 
ing it as tine as possible — so fine, indeed, that 
it will readily pass through a sieve with a quar- 
ter-inch mesh. The surface soil is laid aside 
and finally returned to the top because it is 
always rich in humus, which furnishes the most 



112 



YARD AND GARDEN 



available food for the young" plants and tender 
rootlets. Nature herself, it will be observed, 
never turns the soil upside down. But in spad- 
ing up old beds, where it is only necessary to 
break the ground and pulverize the soil, it may 
seem impractical to keep the surface soil on the 




Sweet Peas 



surface. It is easily enough accomplished, 
however, if the old bed was properly prepared 
in the beginning. Simply insert the spade to 
the required depth and twist it from side to 
side, loosening the soil without turning it un- 
der. 

But no matter what particular process you 



ANNUALS im 

may elect to follow in making your l)ed, re- 
member these points: 

Provide depth, and in the sub-soil incorpo- 
rate manure. 

Never turn the surface soil under. 

Thoroughly pulverize the surface — it can not 
be made too fine. 

By following these suggestions the founda- 
tion for success is laid. Enriching th,e sub-soil 
and giving depth are essential because the two 
processes combine to draw the roots of the 
plants downward and away from the surface, 
where the sun's heat will bake them. Pulver- 
izing the surface soil makes it possible to sow 
the finest seed with satisfactory results. 

THE TIME FOR PLANTING 

In sowing seeds it is well to remember that 
April in the North is a month of many moods. 
The warmth of one day, which seems to presage 
the end of spring frosts, may be nothing more 
than a ^'weather-breeder." It may end in a 
cold night and a succession of cold days, when 
whatever has been planted in the way of tender 
annuals succumbs, and the gardener's work has 
been for nothing. Therefore, do not be im- 



114 



YAED AND GARDEN 



patient to plant. It is better to wait until the 
ground is warm and all danger of frost is past 
than to be too early; give your impatience 
outlet by working the soil in the beds. 

But by the fifteenth of April it is ordinarily 
safe to plant such of the hardier annuals as 
the Cornflower, Sweet Sultan, Calendula, Calli- 




Petunias 



opsis, Petunia, Sunflower, Morning-glory, Sweet 
Alyssum, Poppy, Candytuft, Mignonette. The 
last three, it must be borne in mind, will not 
bear transplanting, and must be sown where 
they are to bloom. 

The gardener who has a choice of location 
for his beds of annuals should remember that 



ANNUALS 115 

most of them prefer open, sunny situations, but 
some of them, such, for example, as pansies and 
forget-me-nots, thrive where they get the full 
sunshine for only half a day. 

OUTDOORS SOWING 

It is in sowing the seeds of annuals outdoors 
that inexperienced amateurs make the most 
blunders. After the seed beds have been pre- 
pared as already directed, mark off rows on 
the surface from six to twenty-four inches 
apart. Be sure to make the rows straight. If, 
however, the planter desires, the planting may 
be done in circles, keeping the circles the same 
distance apart. In every instance the space 
between the rows or circles is determined by 
the height or size of the plant at maturity. 
Allow plenty of room for growth and do not 
crowd. Sow fine seed in the rows as thinly as 
possible, and, after the true leaves form, thin, 
permitting such to remain as stand as far apart 
in the row^ as the rows themselves are far 
apart. Sow heavier and larger seeds one at a 
time and a little thicker than they are to stand 
when they begin growth; this allows for fail- 
ures. When the seed is sown, sift a light 
covering of soil over the finer seeds — barely 



116 



YARD AND GARDEN 



enough to assist in firming tliem in the ground, 
and then, with a smooth board or block of wood, 
gently pat down the surface, making the entire 
bed smooth. Be sure to label the rows if dif- 
ferent varieties are planted, and it is best, 
usually, to mark on the labels the date of plant- 
ing. 




^ 



Pot Marigold 
( Calendula officinalis ) 



As soon as the seedlings have made enough 
growth, be on the lookout for weeds, and as fast 
as they appear rid the beds of them. "Weeds 
quickly overcome the tender flowers, and either 
kill them entirely or cause such a set-back that 
the plants do not readily recover. Prepare 
also to afford such support as some annuals 



ANNUALS 117 

may require, supplying twigs or stakes for 
them to depend upon, or, in some instances, 
wire netting or something similar — as in the 
case of sweet-peas — for them to climb over. 

Good flowers, it must be remembered, do 
not grow in neglected beds. Cultivation alone 
will bring out the best that there is in plants 
of any sort. And cultivation means a little 
more than the daily sprinkle of water over the 
beds. It means a little more than weeding. 
Still the work it embraces is neither arduous 
nor exhausting and, if a little be done each day, 
will scarcely occupy any time at all. It is pos- 
sible, for instance, to keep in perfect state of 
cultivation a garden of annuals fifty feet wide 
and fifty feet deep by devoting twenty minutes 
a day to the work it demands. 

WATERING 

Many amateurs fail because, after their gar- 
den is well started, they water, as the florists 
say, 'injudiciously." It is difficult to under- 
stand what is meant l)y the term, but not at 
all difficult to interpret it by the light of some 
unfortunate experience. In the first place, 
some plants demand more water than others, 
and this, of course, should be taken into con- 



118 



YARD AND GARDEN 



sideration. It should l)e taken into considera- 
tion when the plan of tlie garden is heing laid 
out ; group those flowers demanding much mois- 
ture together as nearly as possible and those 
demanding less moisture in groups distinct 
from the others. Then apply the water accord- 
ingly, abundantly or scantily as the case may 




Sowing Seeds of Annuals 

be, and at night. There is contrary advice, to 
be sure, but if the rule of applying the water 
at night is followed the flowers will all be bene- 
fited, and, at least, none will be harmed. But 
to water the beds in the late morning or early 
afternoon is dangerous, if not altogether fatal. 
Moreover, when water is applied, let the appli- 



ANNUALS 119 

cation he thorough. It does very little good to 
si)rinkle the beds with a light mist from the 
hose or watering-can; this may often freshen 
the foliage after a hot, burning day, but it gives 
no water to the roots, where the moisture is 
necessary. It is, in fact, better to water in- 
frequently, provided the watering then is done 
thoroughly, than to water often and only 
lightly. 

Keep the surface soil of the beds well stirred, 
and do not permit a hard crust to form. The 
process of weeding naturally tends to give 
the soil such cultivation as it recjuires in this 
resj^ect, but often, when weeding is thoroughly 
done, some weeks may pass before it appears 
necessar}^ to repeat the work. It is in such in- 
tervals that the surface soil hardens and be- 
comes almost as impervious to moisture as 
concrete, and at the same time, is quickly heated 
by the sun's rays. 

In selecting annuals for spring planting, be 
wary of ''novelties." Obtain the standards, 
which have been often tried and seldom found 
wanting. Only a few of the uncommon sorts, 
or those that are little known, are of value — if 
they were, they would very quickly cease to be 
uncommon. The old-time flowers are not easilv 



120 YARD AND GARDEN 

displaced and the beginner will do well to rely 
in the main on pot marigolds or calendulas, 
clarkias, zinnias, balsams, candytufts, scabiosas, 
nasturtiums, poppies, calliopsis or coreopsis, 
phloxes, pinks, portulacas, China asters, stocks, 
sweet alyssum, cockscombs, silenes, petunias, 
sweet-peas and sunflowers. For climbers none 
is better than the morning-glory or the nastur- 
tium. 

PORCH AND WINDOW BOXES 

In connection with the discussion of annuals, 
it is fitting that there should be something said 
of porch and window boxes. Often the earth 
inclosed in these is the only ground some un- 
fortunate city resident possesses; it must be- 
come his garden and his domain and therein he 
must raise the flowers with which to grace his 
residence in summer. Porch and window boxes 
may be filled with foliage or flowering plants, 
which, once they are established, will add im- 
measurably to the appearance of the residence 
and contribute generously toward redeeming 
the big city of its barren ugliness. These little 
box gardens, whether they are simple or elab- 
orate, are always effective, and the effective- 
ness is invariably out of all proportion to the 



ANNUALS 



121 











o 



122 YAED AND GARDEN 

cost involved. There is nothing in the way of 
planting, especially in large towns and cities, 
that will give a surer, quicker touch of indi- 
viduality and distinction to a residence at small 
cost and with little trouble than porch and win- 
dow boxes. 

Where there is a lawn, however small it may 
be, the boxes, with their green foliage and hang- 
ing vines, render less abrupt the line between 
lawn and foundation wall. Even where there 
is yard space enough to- permit the use of small 
shrubs or flowering plants, annuals or peren- 
nials, for the concealment of such walls, or the 
use of climbing vines to relieve the walls of 
any suggestion of obtrusiveness, the transition 
between lawn and architecture is less marked 
when box gardens are employed. 

In recent years this fact has come to be more 
generally recognized, and, as a result, profes- 
sional florists each spring prepare thousands 
of plants for use in this manner. Moreover, 
it is possible nowadays to have them in gen- 
erous quantities at comparatively small cost. 
At the same time, the varieties offered for this 
purpose are increasing in number, and the 
range of choice now includes a score of plants 
which only a few seasons ago were sold at 



ANNUALS 123 

prices practically prohibitive so far as the 
purse of the average person is concerned. 

PRACTICAL USES OF BOX GARDENS 

When cost is considered, however, there 
should be some thought given to the usefulness 
of the boxes. In a modest way such gardens 
have a practical value. Not only do they add 
beauty to a house and in this respect prove 
their esthetic or ornamental value, but they 
frequently serve as effective screens, as when, 
on a porch without a railing, the boxes are used 
as a substitute. Wherever they are so em- 
ployed it is seldom that the owner feels willing 
to abandon them for the usual balustrade. 
Again, when set before windows, they satis- 
factorily obstruct the view from "the outside, 
though not materially interfering with the view 
from within. It might be mentioned, too, that 
by their use rooms may be rendered cooler in 
the hot days of summer, for the foliage of the 
plants will break the direct rays of the sun, 
and the evaporation of the water applied to 
the boxes will in some degree reduce the heat 
of the atmosphere. 

There is still another practical value which 
should not be overlooked. Persons who do not 



124 



YARD AND GARDEN 




ANNUALS 125 

own their homes, but, on account of prefer- 
ence or for other reasons, rent them, may feel 
reluctant to expend even a comparatively small 
sum in the ornamentation of a place which is 
not their own. While such an excuse, in view 
of the small cost of the seed of quick-growing 
annuals, is extremely weak, still porch and win- 
dow boxes present an immediate and happy 
solution. Easily moved from place to place, 
even when filled, they need never be abandoned, 
but can be carried away by the renter along 
with his furniture, and, though they may not 
appear to fit the new porch or the new windows, 
in all cases some use can be made of them, and 
usually they will be found to do as well in the 
new home as in the old. If one has window or 
porch boxes, therefore, he may move in mid- 
summer if he desires, and, by carrying the box 
gardens with him, he can impart to his new res- 
idence an atmosphere of permanency which he 
could not attain in any other way. 

But if these miniature gardens possess 
numerous advantages, it must be remembered 
that all of them disappear immediately if the 
boxes are neglected. When they are allowed 
to languish for want of care and attention, 
instead of adding beauty to a place, they be- 



126 



YARD AND GARDEN 



come shabby and fade or wither, and remain a 
constant reflection on the phmter, who was 
either careless or indifferent enough to permit 
their decline. 

As in all gardening operations, the way to 
prevent such unhappy results is to begin pro- 
perly. Time and labor spent in the beginning 




Porch Box Newly Started but with Plants in Bloom 

means time and labor saved in the end. Give 
the flowers or plants the most congenial con- 
ditions possible, and, with ordina'ry attention, 
they will thrive and amply reward the planter 
for his pains. Remember in the first place that 
growing plants in boxes is vastly different from 
growing them in beds in the ground. In boxes 



ANNUALS 127 

they are generally exposed on three or four 
sides, and moisture taken up by the soil quickly 
evaporates, leaving the plants dry and thirsty. 
Then remember, too, that the smaller the box 
the more rapid is the evaporation, the more 
cramped are the roots, and the more quickly is 
the plant food in the soil exhausted when over- 
crowded. 

THE PROPER BOX 

In a word, begin properly by constructing 
the proper sort of box. Do not be niggardly 
with the lumber, and do not be fearful of get- 
ting the box too deep or too wide. Of course^ 
in most instances, the planter — especially if he 
be the owner of his own home — ^must be gov- 
erned largely by conditions; he must construct 
his boxes to fit these conditions. But before he 
begins let him examine carefully the conditions, 
with a view to making the most of them. Often 
what seems to be impossible, on reflection be- 
comes possible, and where it appears at first 
that only a small box could be employed it be- 
comes apparent that by some other arrange- 
ment than the first contemplated, a larger box 
can be used. 

Boxes one foot deep and one foot wide, in- 
side dimensions, are not too large. As for 



128 YARD AND GARDEN 

length, use a number of boxes of less length 
rather than one or two boxes of longer size. 
This, however, is merely a matter of conven- 
ience ; the shorter the boxes the more easily are 
tliey handled, and if one makes them both wide 
and deep, much of the weight occasioned by 
these generous dimensions is overcome by re- 
ducing the length. Obtain boards fourteen 
inches wide, other boards twelve inches wide, 
and all of them of inch stuff. The fourteen- 
inch boards are used as bottoms, and the 
twelve-inch boards are used for the sides and 
ends. It requires no mathematician to figure 
that, by employing such lumber, the task re- 
solves itself into sawing the boards to proper 
lengths and nailing them together. By secur- 
ing the sides and ends on top of the bottom 
boards, it will readily be seen that the inside 
dimensions are a foot wide and a foot deep. 
In order to secure the boxes and prevent their 
pulling apart — for nails soon work loose — make 
liberal use of small angle-irons. These are fas- 
tened on the outside, for, when round-headed 
screws are used, they prove ornamental as well 
as useful. Occasionally one may use thin iron 
bands instead, but these, while more difficult to 
adjust, seldom prove as satisfactory as the 



ANNUALS 



129 




Effective (jJrouping of Single Plants 



130 YARD AND GARDEN 

angle-irons. The boxes should never be set flat 
upon the floor of the porch, but should be sup- 
ported by pieces of ''two-by-four.'' Stout iron 
brackets firmly secured may be used to support 
the window boxes. In the bottoms of all bore 
quarter-inch holes at intervals of six or eight 
inches to insure drainage. 

SOIL FOR BOX GARDENS 

For the best results, only the best soil must 
be used. Obtain good rich loam — such, for in- 
stance, as is found directly under the roots of 
the grass in a fertile pasture — and with this 
mix well-rotted manure and sand. The best 
compost is one-third loam, one-third manure 
and at least one-fifth sharp, clean sand. This, 
however, is a general mixture ; for some plants 
it is not by any means the best. Ferns, be- 
gonias and caladiums, for instance, demand 
well-rotted leaf mold instead of the manure. 
But, even though rich soil is generously pro- 
vided, thrifty plants soon exhaust it, and the 
successful box gardener will not overlook this 
fact. During the summer, from time to time, 
he will supply additional plant food in the form 
of fertilizer. Liquid manure is always best and 
safest; use, if it can be obtained, dried sheep 



ANNUALS 



131 




o 

a, 



132 YARD AND GARDEN 

manure. Set a pound of this, held in a cloth 
bag, in five gallons of water and let it remain 
until the solution takes upon itself the color of 
weak tea. Then apply it at the roots of the 
plants once a week. Weak solutions frequently 
applied are better than strong solutions applied 
less often. Bone meal may be used by sprink- 
ling it lightly on the surface of the soil, but it is 
never as satisfactory as the liquid fertilizer. 

CULTIVATION 

Window boxes, even where their proportions 
are generous, require much water. As a mat- 
ter of fact they should be thoroughly watered 
every day if they are exposed to the sun, and 
in other situations often enough to prevent 
the soil from becoming dry. There is little 
danger of souring the soil if drainage has been 
properly provided. It is also necessary to keep 
the surface soil loose ; never permit it to harden 
and cake. Avoid, too, the planting of flowers 
that demand sun in situations where only shade 
is to be had, and, on the other hand, do not 
waste time and effort by setting shade-loving 
plants in positions exposed to the full glare of 
the sun. Neither will thrive. 

Usually the most perplexing problem is to 



ANNUALS 133 

select plants for the north side of the porch or 
for the north windows. Trailing fuchsias, ivy 
geraniums, fancy caladiums, vincas, asparagus, 
Japanese morning-glories, glechoma and be- 
gonias are all suitable, to say nothing of the 
numerous ferns. The common ^'umbrella 
plant" also does well in such situations, but 
requires more water than the others. 

For boxes on the south, geraniums, antir- 
rhinums (''snap-dragons"), heliotrope, mau- 
randya, Phlox Drummondii, nasturtiums, ager- 
atum, weeping lantana, crotons, abutilons, 
coleus, are all excellent, while on the east use 
tuberous begonias, nasturtiums, thunbergias, 
vincas, ivy geraniums, heliotrope, manettias, 
maurandya, antirrhinums and ferns. 



CHAPTER VII 

HARDY PERENNIALS 

No class of plants is better adapted for the 
ornamentation of city yards than the hardy 
herbaceous perennials. Once established, they 
require comparatively little care and, provided 
they are properly planted, they will thrive from 
year to year, multiply and at the end of three 
or four seasons, reward the planter with dozens 
if not scores of new plants with which to adorn 
additional space. Unlike annuals, they survive 
the winters, oftentimes with no protection 
whatever, and may be planted either in the 
spring or autumn, may be obtained as young 
plants or may be raised from seed. 

CLASSIFICATION OF PERENNIALS 

While it is hardly possible to give a clear 
definition of the herbaceous perennial and to 
distinguish between this and the biennial and 
annual, still it is understood that the herba- 
ceous perennial is a plant provided with per- 

134 



HARDY PP]RENNIALS 135 




Meadow Sweet {Ulmuria Filipendula, known to the trade as 
^p ircea t 'ilipeud u la ) 



136 YARD AND GAEDEN 

ennial roots and a top that dies to the ground 
in the fall, such, for instance, as the peony, the 
columbine, the larkspur and the various forms 
of hardy ferns. Nurserymen, however, include 
in the list a number of closely allied species 
which possess evergreen foliage, such as the 
statice and the yucca and the evergreen creep- 
ing phlox and a number of Alpine plants. 

American nurserymen now offer nearly three 
thousand species and varieties. Many of these, 
of course, are hardier than others and some 
require more generous treatment than others; 
and all vary in height and size, color of flower 
and period of bloom. It is only necessary to 
bear in mind that with such a list from which 
to select it is possible to have flowers in bloom 
from frost to frost. Indeed, with a judicious 
planting of spring-flowering bulbs and a liberal 
planting of herbaceous perennials not even the 
smallest city yard need be bloomless for more 
than four months in the year. 

The perennials may be divided into three 
groups. The first will include those plants 
which are to be adapted for the garden of neat 
habit and form, requiring favorable conditions 
which a state of cultivation provides and which, 
with only a little more than ordinary attention, 



HARDY PERENNIALS 



137 



will attain perfection, persist from year to 
year and increase in size and vigor. The 
second group includes the perennial plants 
which are possessed of such aggressive habits 
that they are not well suited to the garden 
hut are adapted rather to planting in situ- 
ations where they may remain undisturbed, 




Catchfly {Lychnis TisQaria, var. splendens) 

and where their crowding and their irregu- 
lar, sometimes ragged, growth will not prove 
a disadvantage. The third division will in- 
clude plants that are best adapted to plant- 
ing in the wild garden or which, if established 
among trees or in remote corners of the large 
3^ard or .^'rounds, will be in the midst of condi- 



138 YARD AND GARDEN 

tions that suit them best and under which they 
will meet with that natural restraint necessary 
to curb rampant growth and prevent encroach- 
ment on grounds set aside for other purposes. 
This class of hardy perennials is more fre- 
quently employed by the landscape gardener 
who has an area of considerable extent to plant 
than by the owner of a city lot. 

The latter, however, will find that in the vari- 
ous species and varieties of the herbaceous per- 
ennials nearly every sort of plant is to be 
obtained which he may desire. The group 
affords plants for almost every situation, every 
soil condition, and for almost every purpose. 
Varying in height from the lowly growth of a 
creeper to eight or ten and sometimes even 
twelve or fourteen feet, affording foliage that 
in itself is decorative, providing flowers for 
every month from early spring until late 
autumn, and including almost every shade in 
their range of color, the perennials are by all 
odds the best plants to establish in the space of 
the small garden. 

While they are easily raised from seed very 
few of them bloom the first season when so 
planted. To- obtain immediate results, there- 
fore^ it is best to obtain plants a year or more 



HARDY PERENNIALS 



139 



old. This involves greater expense but it is 
far more effective. Such plants set out in the 
spring will bloom the following summer, or, if 
set out in the autumn, will endure the winter 
and, as the frost leaves the ground in the en- 
suing spring, will send up their tender foliage 



-r.« 



Achillea 
{Achillea Ptnrmica, 
var. " The Pearl ") 




Columbine 
{Aqiiilcgia chrysantha) 



and bloom-stalks and, long before it is season- 
able for the planting of the seeds of annuals, 
they will be in vigorous growth. The gardener 
who has such plants to observe finds the early 
spring one of the most interesting periods of 
the whole year. He goes from bed to bed or 
border to border removing a bit of the win- 



140 YARD AND GARDEN 

ter cover here and a bit there, and finds beneath 
the litter the green shoots of the perennials 
showing above the ground. For him there is 
no impatient waiting until the last danger of 
frost is past before gardening operations may 
be begun, but, with the first pleasant days of 
sunshine, life stirs in his garden. From this 
time on he has only to take care that a sudden 
frost does not catch him unawares and nip 
the tender shoots. 

WINTER PROTECTION 

In the fall, when the frost has cut down the 
foliage and withered everything in the yard and 
when the trees have shed their leaves, the gar- 
dener has only to place a light cover on his 
beds or borders to prepare for another season 
of bloom. This winter protection is heavy or 
light according to the location ; in the northern 
section of the country a heavier covering of 
leaves or litter is required than in the southern 
portion ; in many sections of the latter the hardy 
perennials require no winter protection what- 
ever. The protection itself should be applied as 
soon as the ground has frozen to the depth of an 
inch. If it is applied earlier there is often 
danger of mice nesting under the litter and, in 



HARDY PERENNIALS 



141 



^m:. 




Globe Flower 
{TrolUus Euroyceus) 



142 YARD AND GARDEN 

the spring, nipping the shoots as they appear 
above the ground, or in the winter making their 
way through the soft unfrozen earth to the 
roots and so damaging these that the plants 
perish. It is best in applying the litter, which 
should consist of leaves — preferably the leaves 
of hard-wooded trees — or clean straw, to lay 
on at first a light covering and to add to this 
later as the season advances and the severity 
of the weather may suggest. 

The purpose of the covering is not so much to 
keep the ground from freezing as to protect the 
plants from the rending, tearing and upheav- 
ing effects of the alternate freezing and thaw- 
ing. It is this, rather than extreme or 
prolonged cold, that damages hardy perennials 
and the spring-flowering bulbs. The covering, 
therefore, should be only heavy enough to pro- 
tect the beds or borders from this danger. And 
it should be of such a nature that it will not 
pack or settle heavily on the surface of the soil 
and smother the plants by excluding the air. 

PLANTING SEASON 

While the perennials may be planted in the 
fall as well as in the spring, unless the plants 
can be obtained early in the fall it is better 



HARDY PERENNIALS 143 

as a rule to plant in the spring*. The conten- 
tion that fall planting is as safe as spring plant- 
ing is due largely to the desire of various nur- 
serymen to relieve themselves of a portion of 
the spring rush. In the spring they have thou- 
sands of orders for seeds, and for summer- 
blooming or bedding plants to fill, and it is to 




Swamp Rose {Hibiscus Moscheutos, var. "Crimson Eye") 

their advantage usually to urge autumn planting 
of such plants as can with any safety be set out 
at that season of the year. 

As a rule, however, in the fall nurserymen 
will not disturb their plants until the season's 
growth is matured — which is only proper — but 
in many instances this is so late in the autumn 



144 YARD AND GARDEN 

that in sections of the north plants thus ob- 
tained can not establish themselves before the 
deep hard freezes of winter set in. The plants 
are not well prepared as a result to resist the 
cold, and, in the following spring, the gardener 
is likely to find that many of the plants have ' 
perished. He rushes to the conclusion, then, 
that perennials are anything but hardy and 
makes up his mind that hereafter he will con- 
tent himself with the usual spring planting of 
annuals. But where it is possible to obtain 
perennials early enough in the fall to insure 
some root growth in fheir new quarters before 
winter, the fall is quite as good a season for 
planting as the spring. Many gardeners have 
found that they are not able to obtain nursery- 
grown plants before October. In some sections 
October is early enough but in other sections it 
is too late and where this is obviously the case 
or, in other words, where the winter sets in 
early, fall planting is not at all advisable and 
the perennials should not be set out until 
spring. 

PREPARATION OF BEDS 

Beds or borders wherein the herbaceous per- 
ennials are to be planted should be extraor- 



HARDY PEPiP]XXIALS 



145 




Oriental Poppy 
{Paimver orient ale) 



146 YARD AND GARDEN 

dinarily well prepared for it must be borne in 
mind that the plants are not annuals and 
that they are to remain undisturbed where 
they are set for three or four seasons. The 
most of them, moreover, are gross feeders and 
require more plant food than the annuals. All 
the beds should be worked to a depth of two 
feet, though in some instances eighteen inches 
is sufficient. It is safer, however, to cultivate 
the soil to the greater depth — in by far the 
majority of instances this is required. In a 
word, every effort should be made by the gar- 
dener to provide ample depth for the growth 
of the roots, as it is only from vigorous root 
growth that the perennials can reach a state of 
perfection. The depth also is necessary to in- 
sure the plant against drought. 

Underground drainage should be carefully 
looked to, especially in the borders where it is 
not intended to give the plants much attention 
until they have attained sufficient growth to 
demand lifting and dividing. Also it must be 
remembered that unless the drainage is good, 
plants will be in danger in winter when the 
frost penetrates to a sufficient depth to reach 
any water which may remain about their roots. 
In spading up the bed the sub-soil should be 



HARDY PERENNIALS 



ur 



mixed with a portion of the surface soiL It 
is not necessary to supply the former with any 
great amount of plant food, but in the spit above 
it there should be plenty of fertilizer, and the 
best for this purpose is well-rotted cow manure. 
In the fall a late top dressing of manure will 
assist in maintainins' the fertility of the soil 




Stoke's Aster {Cyanea StoJcesia) 

and likewise afford winter protection. It is es- 
sential, however, not only to see that the soil is 
not impoverished but that it is not over en- 
riched; a surplus of food tends to weaken the 
plants and to render them liable to damage 
from the frost. In this connection it is well 
to emphasize once more the necessity for deep 



148 



YARD AND GARDEN 



cultivation. Plants afforded a suitable rooting 
depth are less likely to be injured by a surplus 
of fertilizer than those which find it impossible 
to obtain a deep root-hold. 

CULTIVATION FROM SEED 

The middle of July is a good time to sow 
seeds of perennials. Good-sized plants may be 





Bee Balm 
( Bd on or da didyma 



Balloon Flower 
( Platycodon grandifforum ) 



obtained before cold weather sets in and these 
will make blooming plants in many instances the 
following summer. Prepare the seed bed care- 
fully, providing a depth of a foot, and pulverize 
the soil even more finely than that prepared 



HARDY PERENNIALS 149 

for the seeds of annuals in the si)ring. Sow the 
perennials in shallow drills about four inches 
apart, thinning the seedlings as they begin to 
crowd or transplanting to other beds. It must 
be remembered that July sun is a good many 
degrees hotter than the sun of early May. 
Annuals planted at the latter time are not likely 
to suffer greatly from scorching, but peren- 
nials, submitted to mid-summer heat and 
drought, have a hard struggle unless some shade 
is provided. A covering of laths is good for 
the purpose and these may be employed by 
erecting a framework two feet al)ove the seed 
bed and upon this distributing the strips so 
that intervals of two inches are left between 
them. A shade will then be cast over the bed, 
but enough sun also will fall upon the ground 
to keep the seedlings in good health and the 
soil sweet. Water carefully, using a spray, 
and applying the moisture so gently that the 
plantlets will not be washed from their hold on 
the soil. 

In the autumn, if the seedlings have attained 
a fair size and are healthy and vigorous, they 
may be transplanted to their permanent places 
in the border. Here they will come through the 
winter unscathed if the usual protection is af- 



150 



YARD AND GARDEN 



M 




Larkspur 
( Delph in ium hyhridiim ) 



HAKDY PERENNIALS 151 

forded them and they are transplanted early 
enough to insure their reestablishing them- 
selves before winter freezing puts an end to 
their efforts in this direction. Seedlings so 
grown are very often healthier than those ol)- 
tained from nurseries. They transplant better, 
too, for their roots are exposed but a compar- 
atively short time and they suffer nothing 
through transit. 

SHORT-LIVED PERENNIALS 

Many of the perennials are best when treated 
as biennials. The lives of such are not long and 
the yearly renewal insures sturdy, vigorous, 
flowering plants. Among these short-lived per- 
ennials are the chimney bellflower {Campanula 
pyramidalis), Rocky Mountain columbine (^gifi- 
legia ccprulea), Iceland poppy {Papaver nudi- 
caule), etc. On the other hand, to attempt to 
raise some varieties from seed is to invite fail- 
ure. Some species have been greatly im- 
proved and, in many such instances, propaga- 
tion by means of seed is almost sure to result 
in seedlings of altogether inferior description. 
The better means of propagating such varieties 
is by division of the roots either in early spring 
or in the autumn. To this class many of the 



152 



YARD AND GARDEN 



perennial phloxes belong and the hardy chrys- 
anthemums, the Jai^anese iris and the peonies. 



ROOT DIVISION 



Propagation by root division is not difficult 
to elTect. Either the early spring or autumn 
may be chosen for the work. The old plant 




Golden Marguerite {Anthemis tinctoria) 

should be carefully lifted, avoiding as much as 
possible damage to the root system, and the 
earth adhering to the roots should be shaken 
off or washed away by immersion in water. 
The root-stock and the tender rootlets leading 
from it are then fully exposed and the propaga- 
tor can see clearly where and how to cut. No 



HARDY PERENNIALS 153 

general rule for the cutting operation can be set 
down — different plants require different treat- 
ment. Some separate readily, the gardener 
finding himself in possession of half a dozen 
small plants almost as soon as the soil is cleared 
away, and with comparatively little cutting; 
others require the use of a knife or a similar 
instrument in order to effect the division. In 
the main, propagation by this method is simply 
the separation of a large clump of roots and 
crowns into smaller plants. In the case of 
plants possessing root stubs with buds or 
^' eyes'' — as the peony — the division, if de- 
sired, may be carried to the extreme where only 
a single bud to a piece of root is retained. It 
is well in all propagation by division to divide 
those species in the autumn that bloom before 
July and those in the spring that bloom later 
in the year. 

The separation of hardy perennials, how- 
ever, is more often practised in small yards and 
gardens- to avoid over-crowding of roots and 
crowns. An iris, for instance, if allowed to re- 
main undisturbed in a bed or border for half 
a dozen years, forms a circular mass of hard 
root-stock from the center of which no leaf or 
flower stalks appear. Overcrowding is the 



154 



YAED AND GAKDEN 



cause of this ''rim" blooming and the symptom 
itself should be indication enough that the time 
for division is at hand. All the perennials 
benefit naturally when lifted and divided ; some, 
indeed, actually crowd or grow themselves out 





Sweet William 
{Dianthus harhatus) 



False Dragon-Head 
{ Physostegia Virginiana ) 



of existence. But it is scarcely possible to es- 
tablish any rule for the practice — some plants 
will do best when allowed to remain four or five 
years without disturbance, while others will 
thrive only when divided every two seasons. 
The peony is an example of the former class 
and Phlox maculata of the latter. 



HARDY PERENNIALS 



155 




Spiraea 
{Aruncus astilboides, known to the tmde as iSpircm aiuncns) 



156 YARD AND GARDEN 

PROPAGATION BY CUTTINGS 

Another method of propagation is by cut- 
tings, but it rarely proves successful in the 
hands of the amateur. If he will provide him- 
self, however, with a box of clean, sharp sand, 
and is prepared to give the cuttings the at- 
tention they require, failure need not by any 
means be the result of his efforts in this direc- 
tion. Select a short piece of a foliage stem 
where the growth possesses a bud, lateral or 
terminal, and, making a clean cut with a sharp 
knife, insert the lower end of the cutting thus 
obtained in the moist sand. It is always best 
to have the lower end of the slip a node of the 
stem. Remove a part of the foliage of the cut- 
ting before insertion and cover the sand with 
glass in order to maintain the rooting medium 
at a slightly higher temperature than the or- 
dinary atmosphere. Propagation by this 
method has the advantage of insuring quick 
results and the perpetuation of the parent va- 
riety — not always certain, as already said, 
when seed is the only reliance. 



CHAPTER VIII 

SOME OF THE POPULAR PERENNIALS 

It is doubtful whether a really comprehensive 
list of the most popular species of perennials 
could be prepared without doing some member 
of the large plant family an injustice. How- 
ever, a consensus of opinion seems to indicate 
that the following sorts belong in such a list: 
iris, peony, larkspur, hollyhock, phlox, anem- 
one, columbine, hemerocallis, funkia, and rud- 
beckia. To these also might be added bleeding 
heart, lily-of-the-valley, helianthus, chrysan- 
themum, coreopsis, dianthus, campanula and 
poppy, and still the list would be by no means 
complete. Much, of course, depends on the 
tastes and desires of the individual and also 
upon the purpose for which the plants are to 
be employed. 

This brings us once more to the fact that per- 
ennials afford material for almost every re- 
quirement. We have them for sunny and for 
shady situations; for rich soil, clay soil and 

157 



158 



YAED AND GARDEN 



sandy soil; for quiet and for bold effect; for 
purely decorative value and for cut-flower pur- 
poses ; for forbidding, cold and windy stretches 
and for sheltered positions ; for naturalizing 
and for more formal planting; for bloom in 
spring, in summer and in autumn, and in al- 




(.;oldc"ii Caow [Rudhcckia laciniata) 

most every variety of color and in varying 
heights. 

Take for example the succession of bloom 
possible to be obtained by the use of herbaceous 
perennials alone. The following list suggests 
the possibilities but by no means exhausts the 
varieties * : 

* The common trade or catalogue names are used in this list. 



POPULAR PERENNIALS 



159 



APRIL 



Name 




Hei 


ght 


Color 


Adonis vernalis 






1ft. 


Yellow 


Aquilegia Canadensis 




Ito 


2 ft. 


Scarlet 


Aiabis albida 




6 to 


8 in. 


White 


Aiibrietia deltoidea 




3 to 


Sin. 


Dark violet 


Dicentra spectabilis 




IVoto 


2 ft. 


Pink 


Helleborus niger 






9 in. 


White 


Helleboius oiientalis, 


var. 








atroriibens 




9 to 


12 in. 


Purple 


Hepatica triloba 






G in. 


Light blue 


Iris verna 






G in. 


Blue 


Sangiiinaria Canadensis 




Sin. 


White 


Trillium erectiim 






12 in. 


Brownish red 




Boltonia {Boltonia asferoides) 



Aquilegia, in variety 
Alyssum saxatile 
Anemone Pennsylvaniea 
Bellis perennis 
Convallaria majalis 
Doronicum plantagineum, 
var. exeelsum 



MAY 






IV2 to: 


2y. ft. 


White to blue 




ift. 


Yellow 


Ito 


2 ft. 


White 




G in. 


White and pink 




9 in. 


White 


lV>to 


3 ft. 


Yellow 



160 



YARD AND GARDEN 



MAY — Continued 



Name 
Geum montaniim 
Iberis semperviiens 
Iris Germanica, in variety 

Iris pumila 

Myosotis palustris, var. 

semperflorens 
Paeonia officinalis and 

vars. 
Pseonia tenuifolia 
Phlox divaricata 
Phlox subiilata 
Polemonium caeruleum 
Primula in var. 

Trollius Europaeiis 



Aquilegia, in variety 
Armeria maritima 
Astilbe Japonica 
Baptisia australis 
Callirhoe involucrata 
Campanula Carpatica 
Campanula persicifolia 
Chrysogonum Virginianum 
Clematis recta 
Coreopsis lanceolata 
Coronilla varia 
Delphinium formosum 
Dianthus barbatus 
Dianthus plumarius, in va- 
riety 
Dicentra eximia 
Dictamnus albus 
Digitalis purpurea 

Erigeron speciosus 
Gaillardia aristata 
Geranium sanguineum 
Geum coccineum 
Heleninm Hoopesii 
Hemerocallis. Dumortierii 



Hei; 


oht 


Color 




12 in. 


Yellow 




8 in. 


White 


lyoto 


3 ft. 


Purple and laven- 






der 




8 in. 


Violet 




8 in. 


Light blue 


ly^to 


3 ft. 


Various 


12 to 


18 in. 


Crimson 


10 to 


18 in. 


Lilac-blue 


Creeping 


Pink, blue, white 


Ito 


3 ft. 


Blue 


ly.to 


2 ft. 


Yellow, pink, pur- 
ple 


lyo to 


2 ft. 




JUNE 






i%to2y2ft. 


White to blue 


e'to 


9 in. 


Pink 


Ito 


3 ft. 


White 




3 ft. 


Blue 


9 to 


12 in. 


Violet crimson 




10 in. 


Blue and white 


ly.to 


3 ft. 


Violet 




10 in. 


Yellow 


2 to 


3 ft. 


White 


IVs to 


2 ft. 


Yellow 


lyoto 


2 ft. 


Bright pink 


3 to 


4 ft. 


Deep blue 


ly.to 


2 ft. 


Mixed colors 


9 to 


12 in. 


White to pink 


Ito 


2 ft. 


Rose 


2 to 


3 ft. 


White 


3 to 


4 ft. 


White and purple- 
spotted 




lyo ft. 


Lilac 




ly; ft. 


Yellow and maroon 


12 to 


18 in. 


Crimson 


12 to 


18 in. 


Scarlet 


2 to 


3 ft. 


Orange-yellow 


ly.to 


2 ft. 


Orange 



POPULAR PERENNIALS 



161 





JUNE 


— Continued 




Name 




Height 


Color 


Iris Germaniea, in 


var. 


2 ft. 


Purple and 

der 
Various 


Iris laevigata 




3 to 31/2 ft. 


Iris pallida 




2 to 3 ft. 


Indigo-blue 


Iris Pseudaeonis 




2 ft. 


Yellow 


Iris Sibirica 




2 ft. 


Violet 


Lychnis Coronaria 




11/0 to 2 ft. 


Crimson 


Lychnis Haageana 




12 in. 


Red 


Lychnis Viscaria, var. 






splendens 




18 in. 


Blood-red 



laven- 





Monkshood 
(Aconitum Napellus) 



Foxglove 
(Digitalis monstrosa) 



Lysimachia nummulari 
Lysimachia punctata 
(Enothera fruticosa 
Papaver nudicaule 

Papaver orientale 
Pentstemon laevigatus, ' 

Digitalis 
Pyrethrum roseum 
Scabiosa Caucasica 
Spiraea Aruncus 



Creeping 

1 to 3 ft. 
11/2 to 3 ft. 

12 to 15 in. 

2 to 2% ft. 



2 to 

11/, to 

lo to 

4 to 



3 ft. 

2 ft. 

18 in. 

5 ft. 



Yellow 
Yellow 
Y^ellow 
White, yellow 

orange 
Orange, scarlet 

White 

Pink and red 

White and blue 

Wliite 



and 



162 



YARD AND GARDEN 



JUNE 

Name 
Spiraen Filipendula 
Spiraea palmata 
Spiraea palmata, var. ele- 

gans 
Spiraea Ulmaria 
Thalictrum aquilegifolium 
Thermopsis Caroliniana 
Trollius Europaeus 
Veronica rupestris 



— Continued 




Height 


Color 


11/2 to 2 ft. 


White 


2 to 4 ft. 


Crimson 


2 to 31/2 ft. 


Pink 


3 ft. 


White 


1 14 to 2 ft. 


White 


3 to 4 ft. 


Yellow 


11/2 to 2 ft.. 


Yellow 


Spreading 


Blue 



Achillea Millefolium, var. 

rubrum 
Achillea Ptarmica, var. 

"The Pearl" 
Altha-a rosea, in variety 
Anthemis tinctoria 
Belemcanda Chinensis 
Calimeris incisa 
Campanula alliariaefolia 
Campanula glomerata, var. 

Dahurica 
Campanula Trachelium 
Centaurea montana 
Chrysanthemum maximum, 

var. Triumph 
Chrysanthemum Leucanthe- 

mum hybridum 
Cimicifuga racemosa 
Delphinium grandiflorum, 

var. Chinense 
Digitalis ambigua 
Echinacea purpurea 
Eryngium amethystinum 
Euphorbia coroUata 
Funkia Fortunei 
Funkia lancifolia 
Funkia ovata 
Gypsophila paniculata 
Heliopsis laevis, var. 

Pitcheriana 
Hemerocallis, in variety 
Heuchera sanguinea 
Inula ensifolia 



1 to 3 ft. Red 



l%to 


2 ft. 


White 


4 to 


5 ft. 


White to crimson 


11/2 to 


2 ft. 


Yellow 


3 to 


4 ft. 


Orange, spotted red 


11/2 to 


2 ft. 


Lavender-blue 




2 ft. 


White 


1 % to 


2 ft. 


White 


2 to 


3 ft. 


Light purple 


15 to 


18 in. 


Purple 


11/2 to 


2 ft. 


White 


11/2 to 


2 ft. 


White 


3 to 


8 ft. 


White 


2 to 


3 ft. 


Blue 


2 to 


3 ft. 


Yellow 


2% to 


3 ft. 


Purple 


11/2 to 


2 ft. 


Amethyst-blue 


1 to 


3 ft. 


White 




2 tt. 


Pale lilac 




2 ft. 


Pale lilac 




2 ft. 


Lavender 


2 to 


3 ft. 


White 


3 to 


4 ft. 


Yellow 


2% to 


3 ft. 


Yellow and orange 


12 to 


18 in. 


Coral-red 




Bin. 


Yellow 



POPULx\R PERENNIALS 



16: 



JULY 

Name 
Lnvandiila vera 
Lyclinis Cha loedonica 
Lychnis vespeitina, var. 

flore-pleiio 
Lysiiiiachia clethroides 
^lonaida didyma 
Oenothera Missouriensis 
ffinotliera fruticosa, var. 

major 
CEnothera speciosa 
Pentslemon barbatus 



— Continued 

Height Color 

1 to 3 ft. Lavender-blue 

21/2 to 31/2 ft. Scarlet 

1 to 2 ft. White 

2 to 3 ft. White 
2 to 3 ft. Scarlet 

10 in. Yellow 

15 to 18 in. Yellow 

12 to 18 in. White 

2 to 3 ft. Scarlet 



■ 


19 


K 


Bf^^H 


M 


^^^1 






n 


1^^ 




^^M i#^ J^PH^^^H 


1 


g| 


M 


HlQ 



Clirysanthemum, " Shasta Daisy " 



Pentstemon ovatiis 

Phlox paniculata, in va- 
riety 

Platycodon grandifloriim 

Spirffia lobata 

Stachys Betonica 

Statice Tatarica 

Stokesia cyanea 

Tradescantia Virginiana 

Veronica longifolia, var. 
rosea 

Veronica Virginica 



2 to 


3 ft. 


Rosy jHirple 


ly.to 


5 ft. 


Various 


15 to 


IS in. 


Blue and white 


3 to 


4 ft. 


Pink 


12 to 


18 in. 


Pvosy pink 


12 to 


15 in. 


Red 


15 to 


18 in. 


Lavender-blue 


1 y. to 


2 ft. 


Purple 


2 to 


3 ft. 


Rose 


3 to 


4 ft. 


White 



164 



YARD AND GARDEN 



Name 
Asclepias tuberosa 
Aster Novae-Angliae, var. 

roseus 
Bocconia eordata 
Boltonia asteioides 
Boltonia latisquama 
Clematis Davidiana 
Funkia siibcordata, var. 

grandi flora 
Helenium in var. 
Helianthus in var. 
Hibiscus Moschentos, var. 

Crimson Eye 

Liatris graminifolia 
Liatris spicata 
Phlox paniculata in var. 
Physostegia Virginiana 
Pvu'dbeckia laeiniata, var. 

Golden Glow 
Tviulbeckia triloba 
Vernonia Arkansana 
Veronica longifolia, var. 

snbsessilis 



AUGUST 

Height 
li/oto 2 ft. 

4 to 7 ft. 
4 to 6 ft. 
4 to 6 ft. 
4 ft. 
2 to 3 ft. 

2 ft. 

11/2 to 6 ft. 

2 to 10 ft. 

4 to 5 ft. 



li/Uo 
3 to 

iy>to 
3 to 

6 to 
3 to 
5 to 



2 ft. 

4 ft. 

5 ft. 
4 ft. 

8 ft. 
4 ft. 

6 ft. 



Color 
Orange 

Bright rose 
\\hite 
White 
Light lilac 
Lavender-blue 

White 
Yellow 
Yellow 

White, crimson cen- 
ter 
Eosy purple 
Deep purple 
Various 
Deep rose 

Double yellow 
Yellow, black cone 
Purple 



11/2 to 3 ft. Deep blue 



SEPTEMBER 



Aconitum Fischeri 
Aster Amellus, var. ele- 

gans IV2 to 

Campanula pyramidalis 2 to 

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides 



2 to 3 ft. Blue 



Ch clone Lyoni 
Chelone obliqua, var. alba 
Chrysanthemum in var. 
Conoclinium coelestinum 
Eupatorium ageratoides 
Helenium in var. 
Helianthus in var. 
Lobelia cardinalis 
Lobelia syphilitica 
Phlox paniculata, in va- 
riety 



11/, to 
11/^ to 

2 to 
1 % to 

3 to 
1 1/0 to 

2 to 
l%to 

iy~to 



2 ft. 

4 ft. 
6 in. 
2 ft. 
2 ft. 
4 ft. 

2 ft. 
4 ft. 
6 ft. 

10 ft. 

3 ft. 
2 ft. 



Purple 

Blue 

Blue 

Rose-purple 

White 

Various 

Blue 

Scarlet 

Yellow 

Yellow 

Scarlet 

Blue 



11/2 to 5 ft. Various 



POPULAR PERENNIALS 165 






" ,4^-^-^,* 




#■■" *' ' 










f 










Veronica 
( Feronica longi folia, var. suhses/^ilis) 



166 



YAED AND GARDEN 



SEPTEMBER — Continued 
Name Height Color 

Rudbeckia in var. 1 to 8 ft. Yellow 

Sedum spectabilie 12 to 15 in. Rose 

Senecio pulcher IVs to 3 ft. Rosy purple 



Aconitnm autiimnale 
Anemone Japonica, in va- 
riety 
Aster Tataricus 
Chrvsantliemum in var. 
Solidago, in variety 



OCTOBER 






4 to 


6 ft. 


Blue 


2 to 


3 ft. 


White to carmine 


4 to 


7 ft. 


Purple 


2 to 


4 ft. 


Various 


2 to 


oft. 


Yellow 




Plantain Lily 

{FunJcia suhcordata var. 

grandifiora) 




Yellow Day Lily 
( HemerocalUs aiirantiaca, 
var. major) 



[This list is based on an average season in 
the latitude of Philadelphia ; a rough and ready 
calculation allows six days' difference, either 
earlier or later, to every degree of latitude 
south or north.] 



POPULAR PERENNIALS 



167 



CARE AND ARRANGEMENT OF PERENNIALS 

While perennials, once established, demand 
little attention compared to annuals, this does 
not mean that thev will continue healthful and 




Transplanting hardy perennials 

vigorous if neglected. On the contrary, they 
demand care and cultivation. In addition to 
the division, which must not be neglected where 
the plants show plainly— as they will — that 
they need it, weeds must be suppressed and 



168 YARD AND GARDEN 

the surface soil must be kept open and loose. 
For this latter purpose, as well as for weeding, 
no tool is better than a digging fork with prongs 
three inches long and an inch apart. In pulver- 
izing the surface soil with this, be careful not 
to injure surface roots and avoid working the 
ground when it is wet. Watering„also, must be 
looked after wherever water for such purposes 
is available — few city yards are without such 
supply — and the moisture should be applied 
liberally. Soak the ground thoroughly, not 
merely sprinkling the surface and the foliage 
of the plants, and make sure that the supply 
reaches the roots. 

It can be readily understood that no arrange- 
ment of perennials in beds or borders that does 
not take into consideration the heights, colors 
and blooming periods of the plants can prove 
satisfactory. It is necessary to know the 
heights of the various species employed in 
order to avoid planting the taller-growing va- 
rieties in front of the dwarf sorts; it is neces- 
sary to know the colors of the bloom in order 
to avoid a clash of tints and shades which, if 
grown in juxtaposition, would prove anything 
but harmonious; and it is necessary to know 
the blodming seasons of the plants in order to 



POPULAR PERENNIx\LS 169 

insure a succession of flowers. When these few 
points are mastered — surely not much to know 
about plants which are to be introduced in our 
yards or gardens as our companions for several 
years to come — effective groupings can be ar- 
ranged without difficulty. For instance, where 
peonies are planted, phloxes could also be 
used ; the bed or border then would not be bar- 
ren of bloom when the peonies have departed 
in early summer. As another instance, orien- 
tal poppies would not be planted by themselves 
if the situation selected were a conspicuous one^ 
for the planner and planter would know that, 
by the end of June, when the poppies have 
bloomed, the foliage of the plants becomes rag- 
ged and, a little later, disappears entirely. To 
avoid leaving a gap in the border or a barren 
bed in the yard, other perennials, later in their 
period of blooming, would be planted with the 
poppies to follow with flower and foliage when 
the latter have ceased to be decorative. 

Perennials serve another exceedingly useful 
purpose when planted with shrubs. When the 
blossom of the latter has passed, the herbaceous 
plants will throw their flower spikes to add a 
touch of color here, another there, to groups 
which otherwise would be without flower. 



CHAPTER IX 

BULBOUS- AND TUBEROUS-ROOTED PLANTS 

No class of plants presents more commenda- 
ble features for planting on the small city lot 
than the bulhous- and tuberous-rooted section 
and none will more richly reward the amateur 
for the labor and time he may expend in estab- 
lishing them. They are almost certain to pros- 
per under his treatment, provided a few sim- 
ple and easily mastered rules are followed. 
Much of the spring charm of well-planted yards 
can be attributed almost exclusively to the free 
use of plants of this order and so far as later 
months are concerned, we have only to reflect 
upon the many flowers of this character, bloom- 
ing until autumn frosts cut them down, to rec- 
ognize and appreciate their extraordinary 
claims upon our attention. 

Every year hundreds of thousands and prob- 
ably millions of hyacinths, tulips, crocuses, 
narcissi and other bulbs are planted and, con- 
sidering the immense numbers set out, it is 

170 



BULBS 



171 




172 YAED AND GAKDEN 

safe to say that no other class of plants brings 
so few disappointments to the cultivator. 
This is accounted for, of course, by the great 
ease with which they may be brought into bloom 
and by the readiness with which they seem to 
be able to adapt themselves rapidly to various 
conditions of soil and situation. Only occa- 
sionally do they fail, but even in such instances, 
provided the bulbs have been properly planted, 
the fault can not always be laid at the door 
of the amateur. It may be traceable to the 
bulb beds of Holland where the plants were 
brought forward to the flowering stage before 
they were offered to purchasers. 

VARIETY OF TUBEROUS PLANTS 

In speaking of bulbs, botanical definitions 
are not generally observed. Commercially the 
term applies to a considerable class of flower- 
ing and ornamental plants which, were it 
strictly employed, would be excluded from the 
list. Nurserymen and dealers in seeds and 
bulbs, however, include in this class in addition 
to true bulbs many that are known by botanists 
as conns, such as the Crocus and Gladiolus ; suc- 
culent tubers, as the Dahlia; fleshy, creeping 
rhizomatous roots, such as are possessed by 



BULBS 173 

some varieties of iris; pips, such, for example, 
as the flowering crowns of the lily-of-the-val- 
ley and other fasciculated fleshy roots, such as 
those of the ranunculus or peony. 

Very few present any difficult problems so 
far as cultivation is concerned and the com- 
moner sorts especially are easily raised. As a 
rule, all of them produce flowers of extraordi- 
nary beauty which not infrequently are deli- 
ciously fragrant. They comprise, moreover, 
endless variety in color, form, size and habit, 
and are adaptable on this account for many 
purposes. An advantage, often overlooked, is 
the fact that, following their season of bloom, 
their foliage matures and falls and no part of 
the plant shows above the ground to present an 
unsightly, faded appearance. When this tran- 
sition has occurred and the period of rest is en- 
tered they can in most instances be lifted and 
stored away for future use, and in the beds 
they occupied new plants may be set to con- 
tinue the succession of bloom throughout the 
season. 

Although this class embraces almost num- 
berless varieties, nurserymen divide the group 
into two divisions — hardy varieties, which 
withstand freezing, and the tender varieties 



174 



YARD AND GARDEN 




BULBS 17.5 

which do not. The first is more popular al- 
though in the latter division there are a num- 
ber of plants whose beauty and ease of culture 
should commend them for more liberal use. 
To the first belong hyacinths, tulips, narcissi, 
crocuses and similar bulbs, and to the second 
belong crinums, the tuberous begonias, C'oop- 
erias, montbretias, callas (Richardias), tube- 
roses, tigridias and other garden bulbs usually 
planted in the spring. 

By judicious selection of varieties from both 
divisions it is possible to have bulbous- and tu- 
berous-rooted plants in bloom from frost to 
frost, and, if the city resident be the happy pos- 
sessor of a small greenhouse or conservatory, 
there need be no month in the year without its 
wealth of bloom from this order of plants alone. 
In March, in the northern states, and earlier 
in the more southern portion of the country, 
snowdrops, scillas, crocuses, winter aconites 
and chionodoxas usher in the first days of 
spring with a glory of bloom all the more beau- 
tiful because of its earliness. In April come 
the hyacinths, tulips, narcissi, in all their nu- 
merous varieties, followed later in the month 
and in May by the late tulips, the poets' daf- 
fodils, and as the season progresses, by irises, 



176 



YARD AND GARDEN 



peonies, lilies, gladioli, montbretias, tuberoses 
and other similar flowering bulbs. 

It is probably with the hyacinths, tulips and 
narcissi that we are most familiar. These are 
used for many purposes, appear in many situa- 





Dahlia 



Caniiu 



tions and, wherever and whenever they are 
grown, add beauty, life and color to the early 
months of spring. 



PREPARATION OF THE BED 

In the cultivation of all varieties two things 
are of commanding importance: first the prep- 
aration of the ground, and second the season 
of planting. So far as the first is concerned, 



BULBS 177 

it may be taken as a general rnle that bulbs 
prefer a light, well-drained, moderately rich 
soil. Prepare the bed in which they are to grow 
by digging it at least fourteen inches deep. If 
the soil encountered is heavy and it appears 
that but little can be done with it by the addition 
of materials calculated to lighten it, throw it 
out and substitute good soil. In every case it 
is always best, if possible, to put a layer of 
small stones at the bottom for drainage. It is 
best in the long run to prepare the bulb bed 
carefully and, even where the soil is of proper 
texture, for best results it would be advisable 
for the cultivator to excavate it to the depth 
already mentioned, place the drainage on the 
bottom and upon this throw in the soil until it 
reaches a level upon which it is desired to set 
the bulbs. Prepare this surface, which may be 
anywhere from one to eight inches below the 
surrounding surface, by covering it with a thin 
layer of clean, sharp, grit sand. Place the 
l)ulbs upon this blanket and then add the re- 
maining earth until the surface of the bed 
stands slightly higher than the ground sur- 
rounding it. This elevation allows for settling. 
While this is the best and surest process for 
planting the bulbs, where it is not convenient to 



178 



YAKD AND GARDEN 



follow it the beg'imier need not feel that fail- 
ure will be the result of his efforts. On the 
contrary, bulbs respond generously where even 
indifferent treatment is given them. It will not 
be indifferent treatment, however, to plant bulbs 
in carefully spaded ground by less arduous 
methods. You may, for instance, content your- 




Flowers of Tuberous- Rooted Beffoiiia 



self with spading the ground to the required 
depth, pulverizing the surface soil, and then, 
by means of a dibble, set out the bulbs. When 
the hole is made with this instrument it should 
be at a greater depth than is actually required, 
to permit of the addition of enough sand to 
form a cushion upon which the bulb may rest. 



BULBS 179 

After the ])iilb is inserted in the hole thus pre- 
pared, complete the process by filling the hole 
with earth. 

CULTIVATION 

Most bulbs resent the presence of fresh ma- 
nure in the soil, and, though this does not mean 
that they do not require rich rooting material, 
they often disappoint the planter who has too 
generously applied his fertilizer. It has fre- 
quently been said that under no circumstances 
should manure be added to the soil of the bulb 
bed, but this can not be accepted as a guide 
without amendment. It would be better and 
more to the point to say that manure is not to 
be added to the soil in such manner that it will 
be brought into direct contact with the bulbs. 
By all means add the manure, but see to it that 
it is well rotted, is below the bulbs and is thor- 
oughly incorporated with the soil and that the 
bulbs themselves are well surrounded by the 
cushion of sand already mentioned. In no in- 
stance, however, even where the sand is most 
generously employed, is it safe to plant bulbs 
in beds containing fresh manure. 

In the planting of bulbs, consideration must 
be had for the kind of plant with which the gar- 



180 YARD AND GARDEN 

dener is dealing, for some require different soil 
and diff'erent situation or exposure, from others. 
The liliums, for example, would not prosper in 
a situation that would be regarded as ideal for 
daffodils and these, loving the sun, would find 
the ideal for liliums not so much to their liking. 
Then, too, where the area to he planted is small 
— as it is in most city yards — some attention 
should be given to the soil requirements of the 
different bulbous- and tuberous-rooted plants. 
If one kind demands more food than another, 
it is not difficult to satisfy its appetite, and, on 
the other hand, if a bulb prefers a soil of less 
food value its demand may l)e satisfied by sup- 
plying fertilizer or manure in lighter quantities. 
It is often desirable to plant the bulbs in bor- 
ders instead of in beds, or between shrubs or 
hardy perennials. In such situations, the only 
requirement in many cases will be the prepara- 
tion of the hole for the reception of the bulb 
by use of the dibble and, after adding the sand, 
the insertion of the bulbs. Usually the soil in 
borders where shrubs or perennials thrive is 
rich enough for bulbs but, should there be any 
doubt on this point, it is not by any means a 
matter of great difficulty to remove the top soil 
for a depth of six or seven inches and to incor- 



BITLPnS 



181 




Flower of tlie Cam:.! 



182 YARD AND GARDEN 

porate in the soil beneath enough decomposed 
manure to insure healthy and vigorous growth. 
The daffodils, of all the different kinds of 
bulbs that are grown in our gardens or yards, 
prefer the richest soil. 

SEASON FOR PLANTING BULBS 

Nowadays many nurserymen contend that 
hardy bulbs may be planted as late in the fall 
as the ground can be worked. Their cata- 
logues, almost without exception, advise the 
purchaser that good, results are to be obtained 
from bulbs planted even as late as Christmas 
and that they will flower as satisfactorily as 
those planted earlier in the fall. This is not 
only misleading, but absolutely incorrect. 
Bulbs planted late in the autumn are never as 
satisfactory as those planted earlier in the 
season. With daffodils, for instance, there is 
an absolute loss of strength and vigor when the 
planting is postponed later than October but 
when, on the other hand, the planting is done at 
an earlier date, even as early as the latter part 
of August, there is a material gain. Still, 
avoid too early planting, for cool weather is 
necessary to deter top growth, which is likely to 
make its appearance six weeks after the bulbs 



BULBS 183 

are set unless winter is nera- enong'li at band to 
put a stop to such a display of ambition. In 
sbort, plant tbe bulbs seven or eight weeks be- 
fore frosty nights are likely to put in their ap- 
pearance. 

Many planters advise setting the bulbs from 
two to four times their depth beneath the sur- 
face but this must never be taken as a hard and 
fast rule. Lilies, for instance, require a greater 
depth, and in all cases the deeper the bulbs are 
set the later the flowers in the spring and, pos- 
sibly, on this account the better the results. 

WINTER PROTECTION OF BULBS 

In the case of the spring-flowering varieties, 
winter protection should be afforded as soon as 
the ground freezes slightly in the autumn. Do 
not cover the beds with the idea in mind of pre- 
venting the light freezing, but rather with the 
idea of overcoming the heaving of the soil due 
to alternate freezing and thawing. Use leaves 
— preferably those from hard-wooded trees, 
for these mat down less than those from the 
softer-wooded varieties — or straw, and apply 
at least two or three inches of such litter. Hy- 
acinths should be more thoroughly protected 
than tulips and the latter should be provided 



184 YARD AND GARDEN 

with a four- or five-inch layer of leaves or litter. 
One of the fine points in bulb culture is the 
removal of this winter mulch early enough in 
the spring to harden the young growths. If 
they are allowed to come up under the covering, 
penetrate through the mulch and become drawn 
and yellow they are in no condition to resist a 
suden freeze. It is best to remove the mulch 
by degrees beginning early in March by dis- 
posing of an inch of the litter and following 
this by the removal of subsequent layers until, 
by the time all danger of frost is past, no cover 
remains on the beds. Should the beginner be- 
lieve, however, that the weather justifies his 
removing the litter all at once he will show his 
wisdom by having it close at hand so that a 
light cover may be hastily applied should the 
weather suddenly threaten a damaging cold 
spell. 

LIFTING AND DIVIDING 

It is always a question to determine how long 
bulbs should be allowed to remain without lift- 
ing and dividing them. This, however, is usu- 
ally answered by attending circumstances. It 
may be desirable in some situations to set out 
bedding plants or to grow annuals or perennials 
in the beds which have been left bare by the 



BULBS 



185 



blooming and passing of the flowers and foliage 
of tlie bulbs. In such cases allow the foliage 
to remain until it turns yellow and withers — 
which generally requires six weeks — and then 
carefully lift the bulbs, dry them and store them 
away for use the next fall. But, where the 
beds are permanent, or colonies are esta])lished 





Torch Lily 
(Kniphofia aloides) 



Canada Lily 
( Lilium Oanadense ) 



in herbaceous borders, the rule is to dig up 
only when the flowers show deterioration. If, 
after the first season or two, the blooms are 
neither so healthy nor so large as they were in 
the beginning, it is a fair indication that the 
cultural conditions are not congenial and the 
bulbs should be lifted as soon as the foliage dies 



186 YARD AND GARDEN 

and reset in soil better prepared and better 
adapted for their growth. If, however, the 
bulbs show no deterioration, let them remain 
undisturbed until, due to the natural processes 
of propagation, they become so crowded as to 
show by smaller flowers that they are too thickly 
set. Where the soil is not very rich, several 
seasons may pass before this sign of distress 
warns the gardener of the need of lifting and 
replanting. Daffodils, for example, may remain 
undisturbed, often for four or five years, and 
the peony, representative of the most perma- 
nent "bulbous" plant, may be allowed to re- 
main undisturbed in rich soil, provided it has 
room to extend its growth, for ten or twenty 
years. Still, it must be remembered that, in 
what is called high-grade bedding where, as a 
general rule, only tulips and hyacinths and oc- 
casionally daffodils are used, bulbs planted in 
the fall, after blooming in the following spring, 
should be dug up and planted elsewhere, usually 
in the borders, and the next autumn new bulbs 
should be set out. 

HARDY BULBS 

One of the most delightful ways of growing 
bulbs is the cultivation of the hardy species in 



BULBS 187 

the lawn. This method of planting is espe- 
cially suitable for suburban grounds where the 
area is more extensive than in cities. In cities 
occasionally it is employed but seldom satis- 
factorily, for the bulbs, after flowering, are not 
allowed to complete their process of growth 
before it is considered necessary to mow the 




Kramer's Lily 

{Lilium Japonicum, var. roseum, known to the trade as 

Lilium Kramcri) 

lawn. Where their leaves are thus sacrificed 
the bulbs deteriorate and lose their value. 
Practically all the hardy bulbs do well in the 
grass if the place is properly prepared for them 
by remo^dng a portion of the turf, forking up 
the earth beneath, planting them and then re- 



188 YARD AND GARDEN 

placing the turf. But, wherever this method 
is followed, it must be borne in mind that on no 
occasion must the grass be cut until the plants 
ripen their leaves. This is always shown by 
the foliage turning yellow and withering. 
Neglect of this simple point has been the cause 
of disappointments in many instances where 
fall-planting by this method has been pursued 
on a large scale. 

DECORATIVE ARRANGEMENT 

When planting in the grass do not arrange 
the bulbs in regular lines or designs. Avoid 
the possibility of such arrangement resulting 
even accidentally by standing upright with the 
hands full of bulbs and allowing them to drop 
where they will and planting them where they 
fall. This method usually distributes the bulbs 
etfectively and, at the same time, gives a center 
colony, or well-marked group, from which the 
bulbs appear to stray in all directions. The 
crocus, chionodoxas, snowdrop, Scilla amoena, 
and bulbocodium, winter aconite, and snow 
flakes are suitable for planting in the grass. 
All of these will grow, increase, bloom and 
ripen the foliage before it is really necessary 
to use the lawn-mower, but not before the 



BULBS 



189 



grass, especially in cities, will require cutting, 
if the appearances of the lawn are to be con- 
sidered. 

While many persons seem to realize that pur- 
poseless planting of flowers, shrubs, vines or 
trees on the lawn is in poor taste, still there are 
not a few who seem to consider that an excep- 




tion may be made of the bulbous plants. But 
as a matter of fact, the same rule holds with 
this class as with all others. The star-shaped, 
square-shaped, round-shaped bed of tulips or 
hyacinths set down without reason or sense in 
the center of a lawn invariably discloses poor 
judgment. Moreover, it is as expensive as it 



190 YARD AND GARDEN 

is gaudy and vulgar. And in the city another 
objection to this method of planting is that the 
beds, being on display, usually attract the small 
boy or other marauder who, when he has helped 
himself to such bloom as he may desire, has ab- 
solutely ruined the appearance of the design 
and destroyed the only virtue possessed by the 
geometric horror, its symmetry. 

Bulbs should not be planted with less pur- 
pose than other plants. Use them in corners, 
in borders, in shrubberies and between her- 
baceous plants wherever space permits. As an 
example of one use to which bulbs may legiti- 
mately be put in this connection, there is, along 
the south side of one city house, a border be- 
tween the foundation and the walk three feet 
wide in which are planted plantain lilies, (Fiin- 
kia suhcordata, var. grandiflora), which, as they 
develop their foliage, conceal the foundation 
wall, and the well-known poet's narcissus (A^. 
poeticus), and N. poeticus ornatus. The latter 
blooms earlier than the poet's narcissus and 
is set out in front of its companions. In this 
border, some forty feet long, these daffodils are 
planted three or four inches apart and in four 
rows. They are through blooming before the 
funkia has developed its foliage, and while 



BULBS 



191 




Madonna Lily {LUiiim candidiim) 



192 YAKD AND aARDEN 

they are in bloom they not only perfume the air, 
but serve, to some extent at least, as a screen. 

Another effective composition is the use of 
tulips — especially the May-flowering varieties 
— with dwarf deciduous and evergreen shrubs. 
As the somber winter browns and the dull 
greens of the deciduous and evergreen plants 
give way before the magic touch of spring, they 
are suddenly converted into an ideal setting for 
an array of brilliantly colored flowers. Fur- 
thermore, blooms cut from such plantations of 
bulbs are not missed as they are when taken 
from formal beds where the removal of a single 
blossom mars the perfection of the whole de- 
sign. 

Hardy bulbous plants may be used effectively 
in borders by themselves and occasionally bold 
clumps of the taller plants of the sort may not 
be ineffective when given a somewhat isolated 
position. In almost every instance, however, 
they show to best advantage when supplied 
with a background of shrubbery or of taller- 
growing plants. 

In such situations, where the object desired 
is a brilliant mass of one color, which is all the 
more striking on account of the contrast with 



BULBS 193 

the surroundings, bemerocallis may be used or 
such lilies as auratum, speciosum or tigrinum. 
The German and Japanese irises, tritomas, 
and montbretias also appear to advantage. 



CHAPTER X 

SOME POPULAR HARDY BULBS 

Usually the hyacinth is given the place of 
first importance among hardy bulbs but this 
does not indicate by any means that the hya- 
cinth is deserving of an honor so great. As 
a matter of fact, this sort of classification de- 
pends largely upon individual taste. Tulips 
are given second place and narcissi third. But 
there are a number of gardeners who would re- 
verse this classification and give the narcissus 
the position of honor. And there is good 
reason for this. In the first place the varie- 
ties of this prime favorite are almost without 
number, they are easily cultivated and gener- 
ally certain in results. They may remain in 
the ground undisturbed for a longer period 
than hyacinths or tulips and under such treat- 
ment will prosper. They are especially 
adapted for planting in mixed borders between 
shrubbery, along walks and drives and will 
thrive in almost any soil or situation. They 
194 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 195 

attain greater perfection, however, when the 
treatment accorded them is liberaL But, given 
a thoroughly drained soil of a moderately rich, 
loamy character in which there is a generous 
amount of sharp sand, they will succeed very 
well when no further cultivation is accorded 
them. 

NARCISSI 

Narcissi lend themselves well to naturaliz- 
ing. This method of planting, however, has 
little to recommend it to the owner of a small 
city yard, but where it is desired to have early 
flowers on the grounds of a large suburban 
home or country estate, this feature of the nar- 
cissi is well worth considering. Thousands of 
them may l)e- planted along the banks of a 
stream, in a bit of meadow or wood and in such 
situations will form a floral picture of surpas- 
sing loveliness. For this purpose the poet's 
narcissus (iV. poeticiis), is probably the best, 
but nearly all daffodils may be naturalized to 
advantage. 

While the colors of the narcissi are confined 
to a very narrow range of yellow and yellowish 
white, some are pure white and others, recently 
produced, have red trumpets. Still the coloring, 
though it might be considered by some monot- 



196 



YAKD AND GARDEN 



onous, is one of the chief charms of this group 
of hardy bulbs. The yellow, like rays of sun- 
shine sifted through green foliage, is especially 
welcome in the early spring. For formal bed- 
ding, however, tulips and hyacinths should be 
relied upon and the daffodils omitted. The lat- 
ter may be planted any time between August 





Erytluoniuin 



Poet's Narcissus 



and November and the earlier they are set the 
better; they make roots earlier in the autumn 
than most of the other spring-blooming bulbs 
and on this account demand earlier planting. 
The poeticus types especially require early 
planting for they begin to throw out their new 
roots almost l)efore the old have withered. 



POPULAR IIAPtDY BULBS 197 

These thrive in almost any i^ood garden soil 
and only demand that the situation be well 
drained. 

It is almost impossible to say which daffodils 
are the best for out of doors planting. But it 
is probably safe to designate the Golden Spur 
as one of the 1)est yellow trumpets for the small 
garden. Other good trumpet sorts of an all- 
yellow color are the Emperor and the Glory of 
Leiden. Among the bi-colors, Victoria, Em- 
press and Horsefieldi are the best. Li the all- 
white group, the best for general use are Mrs. 
Thompson, William Goldring and Madame de 
Graaff. It is not likely, however, that the 
Madame de Graaif will be very extensively 
planted for years to come. It is expensive and, 
though beautiful, for ordinary purposes, it is 
hardly worth the high price which it now com- 
mands when other varieties of trumpet nar- 
cissi are to be had from twenty to sixty cents a 
dozen. 

The Horsefieldi, with large flowers of pure 
white perianth and rich yellow trumpet always 
strikingly beautiful, is difficult to obtain in good 
condition; frequenth^ it decays in the packages 
and reliable nurserymen will import it only at 
the purchaser 's risk. The Empress, which is not 



198 YARD AND GARDEN 

only well adapted for planting in small yards, 
but is also happy when naturalized in orchards 
or meadows, is really an improved Horsefieldi 
and entirely free from disease; its flower pos- 
sesses a pure white perianth with yellow 
trumpet. The Emperor is one of the largest 
daffodils in cultivation and breeds a superb 
flower of a golden yellow color. These two, 
both cheap, are among the best that can be 
planted. Other desirable varieties are the Bul- 
bocodium, or the hoop-petticoat narcissus, with 
rich golden-yellow flowers, the Maximus, Henry 
Irving and Major. 

Among the incomparabilis varieties. Sir Wat- 
kin, with very large petals of a rich sulphur- 
yellow color and large cup tinged with orange, 
is one of the best; the flowers are sometimes 
five inches in diameter and appear very early 
and are borne freely. Others that are good 
are Stella Superba with a white perianth and 
yellow cup, the Figaro with yellow cup and 
perianth colored orange and the Cynosure with 
large creamy-white petals and cup of the same 
color stained with Orange-scarlet. In the Barrii 
group, Conspicuus, with large yellow flowers 
and bright red-edged* crown, is undoubtedly the 
best and at the same time the cheapest. In the 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 



199 




200 YARD AND GARDEN 

Leedsii, Mrs. Langtry, with flowers of a pale 
creamy yellow borne freely and excellent for 
cutting', is at the head. The two best varieties 
of the fragrant poet's narcissus are the well- 
known poet's narcissus itself, sometimes called 
pheasant 's-eye, and N. poeticus ornatus which 
blooms earlier. The most important of the 
double daffodils are the Van Sion and Sulphur 
Phoenix. 

HYACINTHS 

Hyacinths are not difficult to raise when good 
bulbs are obtained. They should be planted at 
least four inches deep and on a cushion of clean 
sand. They are more susceptible to injury 
from frost than other bulbs planted in the fall 
and should on this account be more heavily cov- 
ered during the winter. Many planters pur- 
chase the bedding varieties, but if the largest 
spikes of bloom and most perfect flowers are 
desired it is better to obtain only ^' named" va- 
rieties which, though they are more expensive, 
produce a far more satisfactory display in the 
spring than the cheaper varieties. The planter 
must not expect from a hyacinth bulb the second 
season the same fine flowers it produced the 
first. The spikes are smaller and the bells are 
not so numerous. On this account many grow- 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 



201 



ers are disappointed and, after an experience 
of this sort, are inclined to consider hyacinths 
as difficult to grow, but it must be remembered 
that this is a peculiarity of the bulb itself and 
is not due to any lack of proper culture. The 
most satisfactory method of planting them 
is to remove ^xe or six inches of the top soil 




Hyacinths 



in which they are to be set, carefully spade 
up the sub-soil to a depth of twelve inches 
or more and, making the surface of this fine, 
spread over it a half-inch layer of sand and 
on this set the bulbs. Hyacinths when thus 
planted are set at a uniform depth and con- 
sequently throw their bloom spikes at practi- 



202 YARD AND GARDEN 

cally the same time in the spring. This 
method of planting is also to be recommended 
because it enables the planter to place the 
different colors with precision — a iDoint in 
display-bedding when either hyacinths or 
tulips are employed that is of considerable 
importance. It is never advisable to set the 
bulbs closer than six inches. 

To obtain the shades of color which may 
be desired in formal beds the following varie- 
ties are to be recommended: Norma, pink; 
Robert Steiger, deep crimson; Madame Van- 
derhoop, pure white; Leonidas, light blue; 
Baron van Thuyll, dark blue, and Ida, citron 
yellow. All these are single hyacinths. The 
double varieties of hyacinths, although the 
flowers last longer than the single varieties, 
have a heavy appearance and lack the dis- 
tinctive form of the single type. 

While occasionally the practice is made of 
setting hyacinths and tulips in. the same bed 
it is seldom if ever advisable. The colors 
are not likely to prove pleasing as the various 
shades of the two classes usually clash 
harshly. But tulips by themselves are always 
effective especially when the best or named 
varieties are planted. Superior results can 



POPULAR HAEDY BULBS 



203 



not be expected from inferior bulbs whether 
they are of tulips, hyacinths, narcissi or any 
of the other spring-blooming bulbs. 

TULIPS 

There is no reason why tulips should not 
be even more liberally planted than they are, 
for, considering the slight cost of good bulbs 





Parrot Tulips 



May-flowering Tulips 



and the little trouble involved in their culti- 
vation, the effects produced are amazingly 
striking. They should be planted preferably 
the last veek in October or the first week in 
November and it is always best to have the 
ground in good condition a fortnight in ad- 



204 YARD AND GARDEN 

vance of the planting. While it is sometimes 
thought that tulips may be planted as late as 
December, it is never advisable, except in the 
South, to postpone to so late a date the work 
of setting out the bulbs; they require time to 
develop their roots before winter sets in and 
puts a stop to the process. In preparing the 
bed, elevate it slightly and slope it from the cen- 
ter toward the edges so that good drainage 
will be insured. Tulips, like hyacinths, should 
be planted on a cushion of sand and should be 
set about five inches apart and covered with 
not less than four inches of good soil. After 
the beds are made, firm the earth to prevent 
its heaving by the action of the frost. When 
a slight freezing has hardened the surface soil 
to a depth of an inch or two, cover the beds 
with leaves or litter. 

When tulip bulbs are planted in the borders 
— where they always appear to great ad- 
vantage — they may be left in the ground un- 
disturbed for several seasons, but when they 
are planted in beds which, after the tulips 
have bloomed, are to receive summer-flower- 
ing plants, the bulbs should be removed, dried, 
and stored away to be planted the following 
autumn. They should not be lifted, however, 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 205 

until the leaves have turned yellow and thus 
indicate that the bulb has completed its sea- 
son's work in preparation for next year's 
flower. In lifting the bull)s it will be found 
that sets have been formed around the base; 
if it is desired, these may be planted sep- 
arately in a sandy loam where, in the course 
of two or three years, they will develop into 
bulbs of a flowering size. 

Tulips are usually listed l)y dealers under the 
heads of early single tulips, early double tulips, 
late double tulips, parrot tulips, late garden or 
May-flowering tulips and Darwins. The best 
early singles for outdoor planting are the fol- 
lowing: Artus, dark scarlet; Belle Alliance, 
bright scarlet ; Brutus, scarlet ; Rose Gris-de-lin, 
the best bright pink; Chrysolora, the best early 
yellow ; Canary Bird, yellow ; Pottebakker, pure 
yellow; Pottebakker White, pure white; La 
Reine, rosy white. Of the double-flowering 
tulips, none of which is equal to the single but 
all of which are valued because the blooms are 
more lasting, the best are. La Oandeur, pure 
white; Couronne d'Or, yellow; Duke of York, 
carmine with white edge; Rex Rubrorum, 
bright scarlet; Couronne des Roses, deep pink. 
These are all early varieties of the double class ; 



206 



YARD AND GARDEN 



of the late-blooming double tulips, which usually 
come into bloom in May, the best are Yellow 
Rose, golden-yellow; Blue Flag, violet-blue; 
Peony Gold, red and yellow; Marriage de ma 
Fille, white, striped with carmine. 

The parrot tulips form an odd and interest- 
ing section, but the flowers lack the neat pre- 





Gladiolus 



Montbietia 



cision of outline which seems to be the tulip's 
chief characteristic, the petals being irregu- 
larly cut and fringed with a variety of colors. 
All the parrots are exceedingly effective and 
always striking when planted in borders where 
they thrive if left undisturbed. The best va- 
rieties of these are Admiral of Constantinople, 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 207 

orange-red and scarlet; Cramoisie Brillhint, 
scarlet; Lutea Major, golden yellow; Markgraaf 
van Baden, golden yellow inside, outside 
feathered scarlet, purple and green. All bloom 
in * May and prefer a light sandy soil and a 
sunny location. 

In the judgment of many, the best tulip for 
the average city yard is the May-flowering or 
cottage garden tulip. Flowers of this group 
come into bloom from two to four weeks later 
than the earlier varieties and usually at a time 
when the flowers are more appreciated. The 
blooms are superior as cut flowers and last a 
week or more in water. All varieties are of 
a free and graceful habit, attaining a height 
of from eighteen to twenty-four inches and 
bearing their exquisitely colored flowers on 
long, strong stems. These tulips can be 
planted to great advantage in both beds and 
borders and under either method of cultiva- 
tion generally produce better results than 
the early type. Among the best of the section 
are: Bouton d'Or, deep golden yellow; 
Gesneriana spathulata, dazzling scarlet; La 
Nigrette, almost black in color; Maiden Blush 
or Picotee, a beautiful blush white; Bridesmaid, 
cherry rose, pinkish white stripes ; La Candeur, 



208 YAED AND GARDEN 

pure white; Eirefly, In'illiant orange, and Re- 
troflexa, a bright yellow tulip with recurved 
petals. 

Late-flowering tulips are again divided and 
flowers of the sub-group are known as Show or 
Florists' tulii^s. In this division are the bi- 
zarres, bybloemens, and roses. The bizarre has 
a yellow ground with red, brown, scarlet or 
crimson shades. The bybloemen has a white 
ground upon which markings of black, brown, 
lilac, etc., show. The rose possesses a white 
ground upon which bright markings of pink, 
scarlet and crimson show. Breeder or ''moth- 
er" tulips, or selfs, bear flowers without 
markings, but with yellow bases, the upper por- 
tion of the petals being self-colored white, rose, 
scarlet, red, brown or purple. The Darwins 
belong to the self-colored group and are im- 
proved "mother" tulips, as a matter of fact, 
surpassing in color and brilliancy all other 
tulips. The best of these — and no garden can 
'have too many — are Ouida, carmine-red; Nau- 
tica, purplish-rose ; Kate Greenaway, white and 
lilac-rose; Faust, purple-black, and Buffon, 
rosy-lilac. These ' ' show ' ' tulips are the flowers 
which years ago caused the famous tulip 
''mania" in Europe. At that time tulips sold 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 209 

as high as one thousand dollars each, and entire 
communities became involved in the excited 
speculation — usually to financial disaster. 

There are still other varieties of tulips which 
the amateur will find both interesting and val- 
uable. Among these may be mentioned Greigi, 
one of the best, orange-scarlet, yellow and 
black center; Carinata rubra, crimson and 
green; Clusiana, white, with broad red stripe; 
Sylvestris, or Florentina odorata, fragrant, 
yellow; and Persica, dwarf, brown. 

OTHER SPRING-FLOWERING BULBS 
There are other bulbs for fall planting, some 
of which have already been mentioned, that 
will prove hardy all over the country. Many 
of them are especially valuable because of 
the early bloom they afford in the first days 
of spring. In fact, there are about a dozen 
that can generally be relied on for March 
flowers in the north. Their delicate grace and 
unconqueral)le hardiness are their chief charms ; 
Maeterlinck has said of them that they are 
'^ frail and chilly but bright as a bold idea." 
As a rule they have sacrificed both size and 
fragrance in order to press forward extraor- 
dinarily early in the season. Of all of them 



210 YARD AND GARDEN 

snowdrops are the earliest. They appear in 
March and seem eminently capable of taking 
good care of themselves. They require little 
or no attention at all and possess in addition 
the extraordinary virtue of being able to adapt 
themselves to situations where other bulbs could 
not be expected to prosper. The snowdrop, for 
instance, will do exceptionally well, compared, 
of course, to other flowers, on the north side 
of a house, or in a narrow and poorly lighted 
passageway where one would expect that ferns 
alone would thrive. Galanthus Elwesii is the 
giant of the genus and its large size of flower 
is not attained by any sacrifice of refinement. 
It is not so early, however, as the little snow- 
drop, following it some two weeks. 

Occasionally the spring snowflake {Leucojum 
vernum) is mistaken for the snowdrop. It 
possesses a white flower and blooms in March. 
There is also an autumn snowflake, but it is 
not reliably hardy; and there is a summer 
flower of the same sort blooming about the 
first part. of May. 

S cilia Sihirica is another excellent flower 
aj^pearing early in spring. Its blooms, while 
small and borne only one to three on a stem, 
are of a rich blue color especially desirable at 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 211 




Tiger Lily {Lilium tigriniDn) 



212 YAKD AND GAEDEN 

this season of the year. Other desirable bulbs 
are Chionodoxa grandiflora or C. gigantea, 
with single blooms an inch and a half across and 
of a slaty blue color ; Chionodoxa Liicilice, with 
flowers somewhat smaller but of sky blue, ex- 
cept the lower part of the petals which is 
white, and Chionodoxa Sardensis, with flowers 
still smaller but appearing six or seven on a 
stalk, and of a darker blue. 

The crocuses are other March bloomers and 
some of them frequently will open even 
earlier, according to the weather. Almost all 
of the named varieties are well worth plant- 
ing, and if the prices charged for these, usually 
not more than seventy-five cents a hundred, 
appear to be somewhat high, the crocus can 
be had in separate colors — purple, yellow, 
blue and striped — for prices a third cheaper. 
There is no reason why everybody, even if 
only a small strip of ground is available, 
should not plant generously of them. Once 
set out they are no further trouble and bloom 
year after year. 

Crocuses, as well as the other early spring 
bulbs, should be set from one to two inches 
below the surface of the ground. When 
planted in the grass they are usually estab- 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 213 

lished by lifting' a portion of the sod and set- 
ting the bulbs under this, then replacing the 
turf. If, however, you prefer them for bed 
display, provide a deep rich sandy loam. In 
this they should be set three inches apart and 
allowed to remain until, through natural in- 
crease, they become so crowded as to show 
signs of deterioration. This is not likely to 
occur for four or five years. Avoid planting 
crocuses too deep, two inches being the best 
depth as a rule — when they are set deeper, they 
often fail to bloom. 

Another hardy flower of March is the winter 
aconite {Eranthis liyenialis). Its flowers are 
yellow and larger than the crocuses and some- 
times, if the weather is extraordinarily open, it 
will come into flower as early as the first of 
February. The winter aconite belongs to the 
buttercup family and has from five to eight 
golden sepals. It grows about six inches high. 
While it is a flower frequently mentioned by 
writers on English gardens it is seldom seen 
in America, probably because it is not as well 
adapted to our climate as to that of its 
European home. But where it is planted in 
partial shade it stands a fair chance of suc- 
ceeding. 



214 YARD AND GARDEN 

The following planting table will be a safe 
guide for the setting of these smaller bulbs. 
All of them should be planted in the fall as 
soon as they can be obtained from the dealers. 





Depth 


Distance apart 




( Inches ) 


(Inches) 


Snowdrop (Galanthus) 


2 


2 


Glory-of-the-Snow ( Chiono- 






do'xa) 


2 


3 


Squills iScillas) 


3 


4 


Winter aconite {Eranthis) 


1 


4 


Crocuses 


2 


5 


Spring snowflake {Leucojum 




vernuni ) 


2 


4 



LILIES 

No plea should be required to induce a 
liberal planting of lilies. Their beauty and 
fragrance recommend them especially for use 
on small city lots where special attention may 
be given them, and their requirements, so far 
as soil and situation are concerned, easily 
satisfied. It is due, possibly, to the mistaken 
idea that they are difficult to cultivate that 
more of them are not planted. But as a 
matter of fact, the lily really makes no ex- 
traordinary demand. Of all the numerous 
varieties many will be found to flower well in 
ordinary garden soil and if planted in a 
sheltered spot, partially shaded and at a 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 215 

proper depth, they will hardly fail to prosper. 
Fully four-fifths of the important species of 
lilies are imported from Japan or the Far 
East and usually reach the United States 
about the first of November. In the northern 
states this is a little late for planting, for 
October is unquestionably the ideal month for 
setting out lilies. They succeed, however, 
when planted later and it is always better to 
plant the bulbs in November than in the 
spring, for the lily bulb is not safely stored and, 
even when given the best of care, loses much 
of its vitality and sometimes throws no bloom 
for a season. 

Among the best varieties to plant are the 
longi-fiorum, whose funnel-shaped blooms are 
the longest of any hardy lily; Japonicum, with 
colors varying from a blush to a deep reddish 
pink; Broivnii, with blossoms that are pure 
white inside but marked with a beautiful pur- 
plish brown on the outer part of the petal ; 
Batmannice, bright orange; Eenryi, dark red- 
dish yellow, and auratiim, the most gorgeous 
of lilies. The bulbs of the last, however, must 
be renewed every two to three years in this 
country. Its flowers are exquisitely beautiful, 
bearing on white petals gold, red and yellow 



216 



YARD AND GARDEN 



f4 






L.£i^HnHHi 



Thunbergian Li]\ {Liliinii <]((/<()is, known to the trade 
L. umhellatum, L. Thunbergiaiium, etc.) 



POPULAR HARDY BULBS 217 

bands. The lily that eveiy one knows and one 
which, unlike the auratum, persists for gener- 
ations is Lilium tigrimim (tiger-lily). Though 
its flowers are large, the bulbs are so cheap 
and so easily grown that it is not accorded the 
merit it deserves. It bears red flowers with 
purplish spots. The list might be extended 
almost indefinitely, but the following should 
certainly receive consideration: superhum, 
Wallacei, candidum, croceum, umhellatum, 
speciosumy and Canadense. 

An eminent authority on lilies has made the 
following list of soils most suitable for their 
cultivation : 

First, any good garden soil of a fair depth 
well dug before planting is suitable for such 
kinds as Broivnii, candidum, Chcdcedonicum, 
croceum, excelsum, Hansoni, Henryi, Mar- 
tagon (purple), Thunhergianum, tigrinum 
and umhellatum. 

Secondly, lilies that prefer a strong soil, 
such as a good, rich, friable loam not too heavy : 
auratum, Batmannice, Martagon, album, sped- 
osum and W ashing tonianum. 

Thirdly, those that require peat and mois- 
ture: Canadense, pardalinum, Philadclphicum 
and superhum. 



218 YARD AND GARDEN 

It might be added, too, that the above list 
represents those lilies which can be grown 
with the least trouble. Those of the first list 
will succeed in any ordinary border; those in 
the second list require a certain amount of 
partial shade and coolness at the root and are 
best planted in shrubbery beds. And those in 
the third group comprise the lilies that re- 
quire a cool shady S23ot where they are not 
exposed to the direct rays of the sun. 

The general rule when planting lily bulbs is 
that they should be put in the soil about three 
times their depth, but this is not always a 
safe guide, for some lilies possessing small 
bulbs require deeper planting than this calls 
for. Furthermore, whenever bulbs are placed 
among shrubs they should be planted two or 
three inches deeper than they would be set in 
other situations. The distance between the 
bulbs should be from twelve to eighteen 
inches. 



CHAPTER XI 

IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 

The Iris has been called ''the poor man's 
orchid," and a fitting name it is, for in bloom, 
in richness of coloring, in beauty and in deli- 
cacy it is of the ''blue-blooded" nobility of 
the flower family, while, in point of culture, 
in its general adaptability to various con- 
ditions and various situations, it is as entirely 
democratic. Cultivate it, nurse it, coddle it, and 
it will respond eagerly and gladly to every ef- 
fort, but neglect it, ignore it, trample on it and 
despise it, and, once planted, it will remain with 
you, bloom for you, and, if you have the least 
respect for floral beauty, shame you with its 
blossoms. It requires little and gives much, 
and, asking no more than it has received, pre- 
pares itself at the same time to give you more 
another season. 

VARIETIES OF IRIS 
This, of course, refers to the common iris of 
our gardens, a variety with which all planters 
219 



•220 YARD AND OAEDEN 

have been familiar for years, even for gener- 
ations. But there are other varieties with 
which we are not so familiar, but which are 
no more exacting or fastidious in their de- 
mands or their tastes. Then there are still 
others, veritable aristocrats in all their re- 
quirements as well as in the beauty of their 
bloom. These — the Oncocyclus group, with 
flowers delicately veined and reticulated, gen- 
erally with a darker color on a light back- 
ground, natives of Persia, Armenia and 
Afghanistan — require special culture and at- 
tention, and are as difficult to grow as the 
others are easy. For the amateur they can 
not be recommended, though, now and then, 
one finds a gardener who is interested enough 
in the irises to attempt the cultivation of this 
difficult class. A representative of it is the 
mourning iris, or Iris Susiana, frequently of- 
fered in the American catalogues, and usually 
with the misleading announcement that it is 
easily grown. 

It is not easily grown; indeed, the amateur 
seldom succeeds with it. Yet it is the easiest 
of the Oncocyclus group to grow. It, like 
other varieties of the same class, requires 
hard sun-baking after its short blooming sea- 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 221 




Japanese Iris 
{Iris kevigata, known to the trade as /. Kwmpferi) 



222 YARD AND GARDEN 

son, and it can not be considered hardy. 
However, when brought into bloom, its large 
gray flowers closely veined with black, odd 
as well as beautiful, amply reward the culti- 
vator for his trouble. Usually it is best to 
lift the plant in the fall and store it through 
the winter, as dahlias or cannas are stored. 
Still, in some few instances, it can be brought to 
bloom without this annual disturbance by 
plentifully covering it in winter, and in spring 
removing the litter gradually as the season ad- 
vances. Success with it is ample reward, and, 
as it can be had for fifteen cents, failure would 
not be altogether a financial disaster. 

But when the iris offers so many varieties, 
all of the easiest cultivation, why regret that 
the Oncocyclus group brings confusion to our 
efforts? Consider a moment the possibilities 
the iris presents. Usually, when we mention 
the name, we picture in our minds only the 
"German" iris; it is so common in our gar- 
dens, and it was so common in the gardens of 
our grandfathers and of their fathers, that we 
have lost sight of its value and its beauty, and, 
at the same time, have come to consider it as 
alone representative of the family. Nothing 
could be more absurd. One might, if one 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 223 

chose, plant a garden, large or small, with 
irises and nothing else, and have for his pains 
a wonderful procession of wonderful flowers 
from early spring to late summer, and then, 
if he cared to fill in the winter months, con- 
tinue the succession indoors in window garden 
or conservatory. In fact, it is possible, with 
but the slightest effort and with but ordinary 
conditions — such as a sunny window — to have 
iris blooms every month in the year. 

The Iris, or, as it is popularly known, the 
fleur-de-lis or rainbow flower, has more than 
one hundred and seventy species, of which as 
many as one hundred have been cultivated by 
American floriculturists. In England, where 
the flower is more appreciated, more than one 
hundred and fifty species are grown by iris 
fanciers. Of the number grown in America, 
seventy-five might safely be attempted by the 
skilled amateur, and this number itself is but 
a small fraction of the number of varieties 
which have been produced by cross-fertiliza- 
tion and selection to contribute generously to 
garden ornamentation. 

When consideration is had of the possibili- 
ties these figures suggest, surely we will no 
longer look upon the '' German'' varieties as the 



224 YARD AND GARDEN 

limit of iris variations. In fact, the ques- 
tion, so far as planting is concerned, becomes 
one of selection — of selection for ornamental 
and color effect, for best varieties and those 
easiest grown, and for season of bloom, that 
a succession may be maintained. In this con- 
nection it is well to know that the irises which 
are grown and offered for sale by nurserymen 
are divided into two divisions: those of bul- 
bous character and those with surface rhi- 
zomes — of which the common ''German" is a 
type — and those with exceedingly narrow, in- 
conspicuous, subterraneous rhizomes, with 
roots more conspicuous. 

In the bulbous division the irises best known 
are those popularly called Spanish and Eng- 
lish. The former (Iris Xiphium) and the latter 
(Iris xipMoides) deserve to be more widely 
planted than they are. They are of easy cul- 
ture, thriving best in some sheltered corner of 
the garden, and preferring a loose, friable soil. 
Their flowers are excellent to cut for vase or 
table decoration, and in form, size and color are 
more dainty than the common variety. The 
Spanish group blooms first — the latter part of 
June — and its flowers are followed by those 
of the English iris. For best effects the bulbs 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 225 




Spanish Iris 
{Iriff Xijihium) 



226 YARD AND GARDEN 

of both should be planted liberally. At least 
twenty-five should be set in a group; more 
would be better. The bulbs are inexpensive, 
costing from seventy-five cents to one dollar a 
hundred, the English being the more expensive 
of the two, and should be planted in the au- 
tumn three or four inches deep and five or six 
inches apart. They are entirely hardy, but 
should be planted early in order to enable them 
to make some growth in the fall before hard 
frost comes; and they will be all the better for 
a slight winter covering. 

There are a few other species of the tall- 
growing bulbous irises — though none grows 
higher than eighteen inches — which could be 
planted to advantage. One, for instance, is 
Iris juncea and another is the rare /. Boissieri, 
but these are seldom to be had from American 
nurserymen, except on special order. Still, 
even when imported, their cost is compara- 
tively small. The first, however, is not hardy 
in the north, and the other requires heavy win- 
ter protection. A third variety which can be 
obtained in this country is Iris reticulata; it 
is a native of Palestine, and is one of the 
prettiest and sweetest of spring flowers, com- 
ing into bloom with the crocus. It is absolutely 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 227 

hardy, and will thrive in almost any situation, 
throwing flowers gorgeous in coloring, with 
brilliant shades of purple and gold and a vio- 
let fragrance. Iris Bakeriana, an Armenian 
variety, is even earlier, but less showy. Their 
cultivation is identical with that of the Span- 
ish and English varieties. 

Of the rhizomatous division, the most diffi- 
cult to grow is the Oncocyclus class, to which 
reference has already been made. But, again, 
why lament the fact that these plants, even 
granting that they are splendid, resist our best 
efforts? Have we not the Japanese as well as 
the German irises! And, have you ever seen 
a hundred plants of the Japanese in bloom? 
It is a sight worth traveling far to see. In 
Japan they are grown by the million, and dur- 
ing their season of bloom the little empire is 
a paradise of color — marvelous and exquisite 
color. The Japanese have been cultivating the 
iris for generations, and they have brought to 
bear upon its flowers all the wonderful skill for 
which they are noted. Travelers have re- 
marked the iris gardens ever since the tourists 
began to journey to Japan, but, strange to say, 
these irises, known as /. Icevigata, or I. Kcemp- 
feri, as they are called by the trade, as easily 



228 YARD AND GARDEN 

grown as a potato, perfectly hardy, demanding 
but little attention, were until recent years 
but little known in America. Yet importations 
were made among the first products brought 
from the land of the Mikado. We have been 
dilatory in planting them, but now, however, 
they are planted by the thousand every season 
in America, and each season the demand in- 
creases. 

We are always advised that they are ^^excel- 
lent for naturalizing in the water garden,'' and 
that here they thrive best and their flowers 
attain greatest size. This is true, but not ex- 
clusively true. We do not need a water gar- 
den to have Japanese irises; we do not need 
even a '^swampy" situation. Hundreds of 
them have been grown without either. Some 
employ a sunken bed. To prepare this, dig a 
trench two feet wide for a single row, or wider, 
according to the width of the ])ed projected. 
Remove all the dirt to a depth of two feet. 
The soil in the bottom of the trench is then 
loosened to a further depth of twelve inches, 
well-rotted manure is liberally spaded in, and 
the earth first removed from the trench, mixed 
with manure, is returned until the surface of 
the bed thus prepared stands some three or 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 229 

four inches l)e]ow the surrounding surface of 
the garden or kiwn. Usually it is ])est to l)oard 
in this sort of a bed, to prevent the edges from 
being broken or marred. Then the plants are 
set out, two feet apart, and in winter a cover- 
ing of leaves, straw or other litter, to which 
is added a generous amount of old manure, 
is applied. In the spring this is removed, 
and when the leaf growth has attained a 
height of ten or twelve inches, water liberally, 
letting the stream from a hose flow over the 
sunken bed when possible. 

This method of planting and cultivation has 
never failed to give the maximum of l)loom and 
a bloom of maximum size. The flowers some- 
times, measure twelve inches in diameter. The 
colors range from silvery white through pale 
blue, lilac, plum and purple, and the flowers 
are marked with exquisite veinings and star- 
like centers of contrasting shades, frequently 
of gold. They bloom luxuriantly in late June 
and early July. 

But what of the ' ' German irises ' ' ? They are 
truly the democrats of our gardens, yet, as al- 
ready said, they are of the nobility of the 
flower kingdom. Their flowers are not so fine, 
perhaps, as those of their Japanese cousins. 



230 



YARD AND GAEDEN 



but they are different in form rather than dif- 
ferent in value. They have shorter, broader 
leaves than the Iris IcEvigata, and flowers 
whose petals do not lie flat. They have three 
strongly recurved and handsomely marked 
petals or "falls" and three upright standards. 





White Siberian Iris 
{Iris Sibirica, var. alba) 



(jierinan Iris 
{Iris Germanica) 



Their colourings include white, yellow, lilac and 
purple, and some curious browns, rich maroons 
and dark yellows. No plants are of easier cul- 
ture; unlike the Japanese they prefer a dry 
soil, but are gross feeders, spreading rapidly, 
and thriving best in a sunny situation. How- 
ever, they insist upon none of these conditions, 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 231 

and are seen growing where all are lacking. 
But feed them once a year, and, just as spring- 
flowering bulbs are passing with their pageant 
of bloom, these German irises will reward the 
planter with a lavish display of beautiful flow- 
ers. 

And still the list is not ended. There are 
other varieties, all hardy, all easy of cultiva- 
tion, making no more demands as far as treat- 
ment is concerned than their accommodating 
German relatives, blooming at different sea- 
sons, and ranging in height from a few inches 
to three feet. Indeed, this range of height of- 
fered by the iris family is almost as important 
to the iris fancier as the range of color and the 
varying seasons of bloom, for, through the ad- 
vantages this affords, effective groupings can 
be arranged, the dwarf sorts in front and the 
taller-growing varieties in the rear. 

There are a number of the dwarf varieties 
from which the amateur may select to suit 
himself. These have been, for some unknown 
reason, much neglected, but fortunately, in 
recent years their value has been more ap- 
preciated, and the great merit they possess has 
brought them into prominence. There is, for 
instance, the little Iris pumila, which is, per- 



232 YARD AND GARDEN 

haps, better known than the other species, and 
which grows nine inches high and bears in 
April showy flowers of deep purple. It is, 
moreover, a profuse bloomer, and as an edging 
plant possesses extraordinary value. Its green 
leaves appear in March, and it is always in 
trim, neat form, even throughout the hot days 
of midsummer. It can be had in various 
colors, ranging from pearly white through 
clear blues to the deeper-colored typical tint. 
Iris verna is another dwarf species, quite pro- 
lific in bloom, producing its purple flowers also 
in April. Another gem among dwarf irises is 
Iris cristata. It grows only six inches high, 
has foliage of a light green color, forming a 
carpet of verdure, and bears freely pale lilac 
flowers beautifully blotched with golden yel- 
low. Iris Chamceiris is a variety sometimes mis- 
taken for /. pumila, but its yellow flowers, with 
falls veined with purple, disclose its identity. 
It also is of value, and of value, too, is the 
dwarf form, 7m flavissima, or 7. Bloudovii, as 
it is sometimes catalogued, which bears showy 
flowers of a pure yellow color. 

Taller-growing species which are of easy cul- 
ture and which are effective in the garden 
wherever planted are also numerous. Promi- 



IBISES AND TENDEli BULBS 233 

nent among those which are to be recom- 
mended for the average amateur is Iris 
Florentma, the orris-root of commerce, de- 
servedly popular, and for over one hundred 
years a familiar flower in the old-fashioned 
New England gardens. It is free-blooming, 
producing flowers of pearly whiteness, deli- 
ciously fragrant, delicate and effective. Iris 
pallida, whose blood flows through the veins of 
all the better hybrid German irises, is a plant 
with broad leaves and sword-like foliage which 
often attains a height of two and a half feet, the 
blades measuring an inch and a half across. 
It bears its flowers on long stems, raising them 
high above the foliage, and the result is most 
effective. Then there is Iris Pseudacorus, 
Jacob's sword, as it is sometimes called, which 
possesses ample green foliage and forms quickly 
a vigorous clump. It bears flowers of a rich 
golden yellow color, and produces them in pro- 
fusion. 

The much-admired Siberian iris (Z. Sihirica), 
has a number of forms of which the most com- 
mon type is a tall-growing variety, attaining a 
height of two and a half or three feet, and bear- 
ing many flower stems, which are topped with 
blooms of a dark blue color marked with white 



234 



YARD AND GARDEN 



pencilings. The best sorts are the pure white, 
growing about two feet high, and the variety 
orientalis, twenty inches high, the latter bear- 
ing in profusion rich blue flowers of charming 
form. It has the valuable quality of reproduc- 
ing itself rapidly, and from a few plants 




Siberian Iris 
{Iris Sibirica) 



English Iris 
{Iris xiphioides) 



enough can be obtained in two or three seasons 
to plant a considerable area. 

All of the irises with surface rhizomes thrive 
in ordinary garden soils, requiring division 
and replanting as their clumps increase in size. 
This should be done as soon as the foliage 
shows signs of ripening, and should be accom- 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 235 

plished 6arly enough in the autumn to permit 
the newly planted roots to become thoroughly 
established before winter sets in. The rhi- 
zomes should never be planted deeper than an 
inch below the surface, unless the situation is 
unusually dry. As the clumps increase in size, 
divide them by cutting the rhizomes sharply 
with a spade or similar implement, transplant- 
ing the portion detached and allowing the par- 
ent plant to remain in its position undisturbed. 

TENDER BULBS 

There is another class of bulbous, tuberous- 
rooted plants which is worth considering and 
which, like those requiring planting in the fall, 
are easily grown. These are the bulbs which 
bloom in summer and autumn and are planted 
in spring. They are known as tender bulbs 
because they will not endure the winters, but, 
after blooming and ripening, are dug up and 
stored away to be replanted the following 
spring. Among the most important species of 
this class of bulbs are the agapanthus, al- 
stroemeria, tuberous begonia, bessera, canna, 
caladium, cooperia, crinum, dahlia, gladiolus, 
madeira vine, montbretia, oxalis, calla, tigri- 
dia, tuberose, and zephyranthes. 



236 YARD AND GARDEN 

No flower is easier of culture or less doubt- 
ful so far as success is concerned than the dah- 
lia. We have the single and pompon, the 
show, the quilled and fancy, the decorative and 
the cactus varieties. The hundreds of shades 
and colors and the beautiful forms as well as 
the grace of the plant and its value for cutting 
give this flower an exalted position which it 
well deserves. The roots should not be planted 
in the northern states before the middle of 
May and, when the growth appears above the 
surface six inches or so, it is generally well to 
pinch the tops, a process which produces a 
bushy, compact, dwarf growth. 

Following the dahlia in popularity and 
praise are the gladioli. They may be planted 
either in separate beds or among perennials 
where they will add gay colors to borders 
which might otherwise be bare. Gladioli 
should be planted as early in the season as the 
ground can be worked and every two weeks 
thereafter until July first for a succession of 
bloom. They prefer a sunny situation, a rich 
soil and plenty of moisture and should be 
planted six inches deep, seven or eight inches 
apart. 

The tuberous-rooted begonia' is valuable be- 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 237 

cause it will flower in shady situations. In a 
spot where other flowers have persistently re- 
fused to grow, the tuberous-rooted begonia 
will frequently be found at its best. They are 
best started in the house during March and 
April in pots and then planted out of doors 
the latter part of May. If started early enough 
indoors, they will be in bloom by the middle of 
June and will continue to flower until frost. 
They thrive best in a rich, loose, moisture-re- 
taining soil and prefer a considerable quantity 
of leaf-mold to which has been added a lib- 
eral amount of sharp sand. The bulbs should 
be planted three inches deep and ten or twelve 
inches apart. 

Montbretias are desirable when planted in 
groups of fifty or a hundred bulbs. The bulbs 
are planted in the spring about four inches 
deep and will prove hardy when afforded a 
winter protection of litter four or ^ve inches 
deep. 

The summer hyacinth, (Hyacinthus can- 
dicans), bears large, white, bell-shaped flowers 
on stout stalks two or three feet high. For 
best effects this must be planted in clumps and, 
like the Montbretia, proves hardy when given 
protection during the winter. Tuberoses and 



238 YARD AND GARDEN 

caladiums are well-known popular bulbs which 
'are extensively planted. 

BULBOUS VINES 

Among the summer-flowering bulbous- and 
tuberous-rooted plants are several vines which 
prove exceedingly valuable. Most city yards 
possess some objectionable spot or object 
which it is desirable to conceal from sight ; this 
may be accomplished by the use of annual or 
perennial vines. But annuals, while they are 
quick growing, are objectionable owing to the 
fact that they must be replanted each year; 
perennials, on the other hand, frequently re- 
quire from two to three seasons to establish 
themselves. Between these two come the bul- 
bous vines. They are quick growing and, when 
once planted, require no further attention, 
thus combining the advantages of both annual 
and perennial. Moreover, they are inexpen- 
sive. Foremost among these is the Madeira 
vine which attains a considerable height in a 
very short space of time. The foliage is dense 
and the flower small and white. The Cinnamon 
vine, with glossy, green, heart-shaped leaves 
and very fragrant racemes of white flowers, 
grows to a greater height and blooms in Au- 



IRISES AND TENDER BULBS 239 

gust. Another fine climbing plant is the Kudzu 
vine, which possesses magnificent foliage, deep 
and dense, and makes a wonderfully rapid 
growth the first season. It comes from Japan 
and is very extensively planted. A native vine 
is Apios tuherosa which seems to be more ap- 
preciated in England than at home; its spe- 
cial features are its adaptability to situations 
in. absolute shade and its beautiful flowers of 
pleasing fragrance. It grows rapidly and 
blooms in July. 



CHAPTEE XII 

SHKUBS 

In planting as it is usually done on the city 
or town lot of average size, in most cases a 
shrub would l)e preferable to the tree which is 
ordinarily set out. Too often trees are crowded 
into situations far too small for them, which is 
neither good for the tree nor of value to the 
site. Due allowance is seldom made for the 
tree's growth and spread and, planted in close 
proximity to some building on one side and 
subject to exposure on another, a straggling, 
unbalanced specimen is produced that lacks 
beauty, strength and vigor. This does not 
mean, of course, that trees have no place in 
the small yard; when properly selected and 
properly located, they add immeasurably to the 
appearance of the home. But, before a tree is 
set out, careful thought should be given to its 
fitness for the place where it is proposed to 
establish it. 

240 



SHRUBS 



241 




242 YARD AND GARDEN 

DISADVANTAGES OF TREE-PLANTING 

The tree should be considered as a mature 
plant. It must not be forgotten, that, as the 
years go by, the tree will continue to grow. It 
will not long remain the small specimen re- 
ceived from the nursery which, when first 
planted, may appear to be entirely suitable for 
the location selected. Each year will add to its 
height and increase the spread of its branches, 
so that, in ten years, perhaps, it may have at- 
tained a size that unfits it for the effect de- 
sired. Even then it may be only in its infancy, 
requiring, for its fullest development, twenty- 
five or fifty years more. 

This fact suggests the permanency of the 
tree and is converted at once by the incautious 
planter into a recommendation which more 
than offsets any objection which may be found 
against its use. However, a second thought 
may lead to the conclusion that this is not the 
advantage it may at first sight appear to be. 
If one is planting for future effect, if one is 
planting the home grounds for the enjoyment 
of one's children and one's children's children, 
well and good, the tree's the thing. Its leafy 
branches will cast grateful shade for them and 



SHRUBS 243 

the massive trunks will stand as monuments 
to the forethought of the ancestor who felt so 
tender an interest in the comfort of his de- 
scendants. But if one is planting for oneself, 
for to-day, for this generation, for immediate 
effect, the tree is not the thing. The shrub 
must displace it. 

We have come to a fuller realization of this 
in the last few years than ever before. And, 
as we have gained in this direction, we have 
come to understand and to appreciate the value 
and the uses of trees. We no longer plant 
them in such proximity to our residences that 
both tree and house suffer as a consequence, 
and we no longer fancy that a tree is as essen- 
tial to a lot as a roof to the house. Planting 
experts are now practically unanimous in de- 
claring that a tree which attains average 
height and spread should not be planted within 
twenty feet of the house. The reason for this 
dictum is not difficult to discover. Trees set 
at closer distance can not attain the full de- 
velopment they require as they grow older and, 
so far as the residence is concerned, if planted 
nearer than the twenty feet limit, too much 
shade is likely to result, with dampness and ill 
health as the immediate consequence. 



244 



YARD AND GARDEN 



Moreover, where trees overspread the lawn, 
grass of that ^'velvety" texture so desirable 
is almost impossible. Then, too, not only is a 
free circulation of air shut off from the resi- 
dence and the sunlight excluded, but the 
planter who has thus elected to proceed will 
find that he has made flower-growing exceed- 




Hydrangea Laden with Flowers 

ingly difficult. In a word, the owner of the 
small city lot sacrifices too much in planting 
trees for what he gains. If his yard is large 
enough, trees have a place in the planting 
scheme. But if the yard is small, confine tree- 
planting to the park bordering the street or 



SHRUBS 245 

highway and make use of shrubs for lawn 
planting. 

EFFECTIVENESS OF SHRUBS 
Too often the advantages of shrubs are over- 
looked or ignored. Tall-growing and dwarf, 
deciduous and evergreen, there are few places 
where they will not succeed and, thriving, add 
materially to the beauty of the home. They have 
in the first place two distinct values : they are 
serviceable when employed as individual speci- 
mens, planted in isolated situations for formal 
effect, and valuable when grown in masses 
forming what are commonly termed shrubber- 
ies. Both methods of planting have their par- 
ticular uses and advantages but, although the 
inclination as a rule is in the direction of indi- 
vidual or specimen planting rather than mass 
planting, the latter and not the former is to 
be recommended. The amateur, however, is 
far more likely to adopt the course proscribed 
than that which is advised, for it appears to 
him that shrubs scattered about the lawn add 
more to the yard's general appearance than 
when they are grouped. But, as a matter of 
fact, mass planting and not specimen planting 



246 YARD AND GARDEN 

contributes more toward harmonious and sat- 
isfactory effect. 

Frequently a yard presents a ''patchy" ap- 
pearance for which the planter is unable to 
account. In such instances, were it possible 
to shift specimen shrubs temporarily from 
their isolated positions to shrubbery groups 
and observe the increased effectiveness result- 
ing from the change, the perplexed gardener 
would at once detect the cause of the trouble 
and, it is safe to conclude, would make the tem- 
porary arrangement permanent. Shrubs, or 
plants of any sort, for that matter, scattered 
indiscriminately and without apparent purpose 
over a lawn destroy all suggestion of unity and 
conspire to obscure the motive of the planter; 
his cultivated area, consequently, whether it be 
large or small, loses all meaning to the ob- 
server and lacks at the same time that indi- 
viduality which is one of the most desirable 
features in a properly planned and planted 
yard. On the other hand the mass planting of 
shrubs adds harmony to a place, contributes 
to its unity, assists in defining the motive and, 
in most instances, supplies a touch of strength 
which is as essential to a well and tastefully 
beautified yard as a suggestion of delicacy. 



SHRUBS 



247 







248 YARD AND GARDEN 

Some beginners probably will find it difficult 
to distinguish between shrubs and small trees. 
But this need not discourage them; expe- 
rienced planters are similarly perplexed. What 
one calls a small tree another may call a shrub, 
the distinction being often difficult. Shrubs, 
as a rule, have a number of stems springing 
from the ground whereas a tree possesses but 
a single trunk. Still this is not true in all 
cases. 

The wide variety in habit of growth, foliage, 
fruit and flower makes the worth of shrubs. 
They can be had for every situation, of vary- 
ing height, and of varying seasons of bloom. 
As the leaves differ, so the flowers differ, or 
the berries in cases where the shrub's chief 
value is determined by its fruit rather than by 
its bloom, but if in any of these respects the 
variation is wide it is no wider than the varia- 
tion in the uses to which shrubs may be profit- 
ably put. They serve to conceal foundation 
walls ; they form backgrounds for plants ; they 
act as harmonizing agents between lawn and 
tall-growing trees; they can be used as a cov- 
ering for ground which on account of its slope, 
exposure or other adverse conditions will not 
support grass, and they are valuable as mate- 



SHRUBS 



249 




Shrubbery Walk in Small City Yard 



250 YARD AND GARDEN 

rial for breaking dead levels and hiding and 
obscuring unpleasant views. 

They may be used also to supply motive for 
a sudden or abrupt turn or termination of a 
walk. Very frequently a walk is given a slight 
or even pronounced turn without apparent 
cause; instead of being what it should be, the 
most direct means of getting from one point 
to another, the walk twists until it follows a 
rambling course which is utterly purposeless 
and inexcusable. But, where the turn is pro- 
jected, plant a clump of shrubs and there is at 
once established a sensible and logical reason 
for the turn. The walk then seems to curve in 
order to avoid the shrubs planted in its more 
direct course. 

Another considerable advantage shrubs pos- 
sess is that, once established, they require com- 
paratively little attention. This does not mean, 
of course, that they should be heedlessly 
planted or grossly neglected. Though very 
frequently they will grow when conditions are 
both unpleasant and unfit for them, still if the 
best results are to be obtained some consid- 
eration must be had for the demands of the 
plants. They will reward the gardener royally 
for the care he bestows on them. 



SHRUBS 251 

PLANTING AND ARRANGING SHRUBS 

In preparing beds for shrubbery, spade the 
ground to a depth of at least two feet, work 
into the soil well-rotted manure, make it fine 
and soft, and see to it that it will not suffer 
from want of proper drainage. In planting 
first examine the roots and, where these have 
been broken or twisted in transit, cut off the 
broken or injured portions with a sharp knife, 
then, having prepared a hole amplv large for 
the reception of the bush, set it in at a slightly 
lower level than that at which it stood before 
it was lifted. This depth can readily be ascer- 
tained by observing the marks left by the soil 
on the stem or stems. Allow sufficient room for 
the development of the shrubs, bearing in mind 
the fact that they increase their spread as they 
grow older, avoid crowding, and avoid also set- 
ting them too far apart. Group them by plant- 
ing the taller-growing varieties in the rear and 
the dwarfs in the front, but do not aim at too 
uniform an effect. Occasionally it may l^e de- 
sirable to estal)lisli a round bed, although there 
can be but little need for such an arrangement, 
but if this method of planting is considered de- 
sirable, place the taller-growing varieties in 



252 YARD AND GARDEN 

the center and group the dwarf sorts around 
them. This arrangement is suggested not only 
because it presents a better appearance but 
because if it were not followed it is obvious 
that the low-growing shrubs would be entirely 
hidden by the taller varieties and at the same 
time so densely shaded by the foliage that they 
would soon perish. 

In any event avoid monotony. Shrubs in 
this respect are easily abused and often, through 
lack of judgment in planting, monotony occurs 
where the purpose was the contrary. But in 
avoiding any suggestion of regularity the 
planter must also avoid any appearance of 
studied irregularity. Do not plant in straight 
lines and do not plant in mechanical zigzags. 
Group the shrubs. 

CULTIVATION 

Though hardy shrubs require little protec- 
tion in winter, still it is always best to leave 
on the ground the leaves they drop at the first 
touch of frost and to add to these additional 
small quantities as the winter advances. Very 
little trimming or pruning should be practised. 
Keep the dead wood well cut out but be ex- 
ceedingly cautious in applying the pruning 



SHRUBS 253 



shears in any other manner. Occasionally, 
where a shrub assumes a tall, spindling growth, 
it may be advantageous to cut it back to in- 
duce a broader and more spreading growth. 
Wherever this is necessary cut back boldly or 
the purpose of the pruning will not be accom- 
plished. But, for the most part, let the shrub 
have its own way, especially when it is healthy 
and vigorous, and apply the shears only when 
it is absolutely necessary. Shrubs sheared 
into unnatural forms seldom possess any value 
as ornaments unless the effect aimed at is alto- 
gether formal. 

VARIETIES 

On the smaller grounds in town or city the 
greatest value of shrubs is in the grouping of 
many flowering varieties in one mass so that a 
succession of bloom is insured from April to 
November. If only seven shrubs were planted 
it would be possible to maintain such a suc- 
cession, the bloom first appearing immediately 
after the last frost in spring and continuing 
until autumn frosts blight the bushes. This 
list would include: 

Forsythia April 

Syringa ( lilac ) , May 

Spiraea June 

Deutzia July 



1254 YARD AND GARDEN 

lUius (smoke-bush ) August 

Hydrangea September 

Hamamclis (witch-hazel) October 

All these shrubs are perfectly hardy and will 
respond graciously to ordinary treatment in 
any good garden soil. Moreover, good plants 
of large size may be obtained at small expendi- 
ture, the whole collection costing from one to 
two dollars, according to their age. 

It would hardly be possible to prepare a list 
of the essential qualities which should be de- 
manded of shrubs for the home embellishment 
— the preparation of such a list would require 
consideration of the individual places to be 
planted. Still, whether grounds are large or 
small, whether many plants are required or 
few, and whether shrubs are desired for bloom 
or foliage value, to obtain the best effects from 
their use, plant them as a general rule in 
masses. Use them liberally, for they possess 
more actual value than perennials in that they 
are more permanent and, compared with an- 
nuals, they demand but little attention. In a 
word, 3"0u may plant annuals for a season, per- 
ennials for a few years, trees for posterity, 
but shrubs you plant for yourself for imme- 
diate effect and for practically the whole of 
your own lifetime. 



SHRUBS 



255 



It must also be borne in mind that there are 
evergreen as well as deciduous shrubs and 
that a judicious selection of the former will 
give a touch of life to the yard or grounds in 
winter which could not be obtained otherwise 
except through the use of evergreen trees. 
As long as we have these — both trees and 




Flowers of the Mountain Laurel [Kahnia latifolia) 

shrubs — there is small excuse for any place 
either in the city or the country assuming a 
dead and desolate appearance in winter. Any 
one who has observed a group of rhododen- 
drons in winter with their great glossy leaves 
can not fail to be impressed by the life they 
lend to the landscape. Rhododendrons, how- 



256 YARD AND GARDEN 

ever, are not the only shrubs that lend them- 
selves to this particular use, for here again a 
variety is presented which affords the planter 
a wide field from which to select. There is, 
for instance, the Mountain Laurel {Kalmia 
latifolia), which is without doubt one of the 
choicest of American broad-leaved evergreens. 
The leaves are particularly conspicuous in 
winter and as the Kalmia is perfectly hardy 
as far north as Maine and is neither difficult to 
establish nor difficult to maintain, it forms one 
of the most valuable shrubs in the list. In the 
spring its sheets of bright rosy-pink flowers, 
delicately adorned with carmine dots, add to its 
value for decorative purposes. 

Then again, among the most useful of our 
early spring-flowering shrubs are the hardy 
azaleas, many varieties of which have persist- 
ent evergreen foliage. A low-growing shrub 
with evergreen foliage and of compact habit, 
bearing white flowers in great abundance in 
spring is the Andromeda florihunda or Pieris 
florihunda. Mahonia Aquifolium, or Berheris 
Aquifolium, as it is more properly known, is 
another dwarf species with purplish shining 
prickly leaves retained throughout the winter, 
and with showy bright yellow flowers in dense 



SHEUBS 257 

clusters in May succeeded by bluish^black ber- 
ries. Its handsome deep green glossy foliage, 
which assumes a bronze or coffee hue in winter, 
and its neat habit render it especially valuable 
for decorative planting. Another evergreen 
shrub of value is Euonymus Japonicus, or 
Japanese euonymus. 

SHRUBS SUITED TO THE CITY YARD 

In the selection of evergreen varieties for 
planting in cities, we are to some extent lim- 
ited by soil conditions and by the injury in- 
flicted by the smoke-filled atmosphere. Only 
such evergreens as will most sturdily withstand 
these blasts of coal smoke and which, at the 
same time, will not make too many demands 
for special soils should be planted. In the list 
of deciduous shrubs, however, we find less 
delicacy displayed ; they submit more happily to 
adverse conditions which the evergreens could 
scarcely withstand, and apparently thrive de- 
spite them. While the deciduous varieties that 
bloom in late summer are few, there is ap- 
parently no end to the varieties that flower in 
spring or early summer. In the list of these 
not only is almost every color of flower to be 
had and every height from one to twelve feet 



258 YARD AND GARDEN 

as well as numerous varieties of foliage, but 
there will be found shrubs for almost every 
conceivable situation and purpose. Indeed, 
with so many varieties at hand the amateur 
will experience no difficulty in obtaining what 
he may require but, on the contrary, will doubt- 
less be embarrassed by the quantities from 




Hardy Azalea in Bloom 

which to select. Aslie reads descriptions it will 
seem to him that first this shrub and then that 
is absolutely indispensable, but he will do best 
if he limits the varieties he selects to those 
which are most commonly employed. Ex- 
perience has proved the value of these and they 
are, generally speaking, quite as effective and 



SHRUBS 259 

quite as adaptable to his purpose as any of the 
rarer slirubs wliicli nurserymen may offer in 
tlieir catalogues. 

A showy shrub is the lilac {Syringa) with 
pink, white or lilac blossoms. It is best, how- 
ever, not to mix the three colors but to mass 
each variety separately, thereby obtaining a 
stronger and at the same time a more restful 
effect. In planting lilacs obtain good shrubs. 
Do not plant a bush because it is to be had for 
nothing; it seldom proves worth the trouble. 
Avoid also the double-flowered varieties, for 
their flowers are heavier and less graceful and 
give no suggestion of the freedom and uncon- 
ventionality of the single variety. The Mock 
Orange, or syringa as it is sometimes called, 
{Philadelplius) , is a hardy, free-flowering 
shrub with showy flowers appearing in late 
spring. If the most fragrant variety is desired, 
obtain PMladelplius corona riiis. The Snow 
Ball (Vihurniim) should not be forgotten. 
Avoid the old-fashioned kind which is invaria- 
bly a prey to aphids or plant-lice whose ravages 
cause the leaves to curl and the flowers to lose 
their beauty, and select instead Japanese Snow 
Ball which, though it has smaller flowers, j^os- 
sesses better foliage and habit. This is known 



260 



YARD AND GARDEN 



to nurserymen as Viburmim plica him, although 
its proper designation would be Viburnum 
tomentosum, var. plicatum. It attains a height 
of eight feet— some four feet less than the 
common snow ball — and has especially attrac- 
tive foliage while its globose flower clusters are 
three to four inches across. 




Rhododendron in Bloom 



The Spiraea forms another group of shrubs 
excellent for a small city yard. The most pop- 
ular species probably are S. Van Houttei, S. 
Thnnhergii and S. primifolia. The blossoms of 
these are white and are borne in May and 
June. The common Bridal Wreath is S. Van 
Houttei. The Thunberg Spiraea (snow gar- 



SHEUBS 261 

land) comes into bloom earlier and of this va- 
riety there is a hybrid known as Spircca arguta 
which is considered by many to be the showiest 
of all the earlier blooming spiraeas. 

SEASON FOR PLANTING 

In the matter of determining the season for 
planting", whether it shall be spring or fall, no 
fixed rule can be given. In any event plant early 
enough, if the spring be selected, to insure the 
plant's establishing itself before the hot suns 
of summer scorch it, and if the fall season be 
chosen, set the plants early enough in autumn 
to insure their becoming established before 
hard freezing begins. Evergreens should be 
planted very early in spring or in August. 
After the shrubs are once established most of 
them, save for an occasional i3runing, will take 
care of themselves, but it is always well to have 
on hand a little ammoniacal carbonate of cop- 
per ready to be diluted and to be applied to the 
shrubs in the form of a spray for all fungus 
attacks, and a little hellebore and similar 
poison to preserve them from the onslaught of 
destructive insects. 

Whether deciduous or evergreen shrubs are 
used their value as ornaments for the small city 



262 



YARD AND GARDEN 



yard is qiiickJy apparent if we will only ol)serve 
our own habit of vision as we pass along the 
streets. While it is seldom that our line of 
vision takes in the foliage of trees, our sight 
as a general rule rests upon those objects which 
are on a line with our eyes. In other words, 
while we infrequently turn our gaze upward 




Flowers of the Tall-growing Bird Cherry 

toward the tree-tops, almost constantly our vi- 
sion is directed to those objects which are on 
a level or below the level of our sight. We 
may fail to observe the form or character of 
the foliage of a tree but it is not likely that we 
shall fail to observe the low-growing shrub, 
especially when our gaze is attracted by the 



SHRUBS 263 

mass of bloom put forth in spring and smn- 
mer. If this fact were more frequently taken 
into consideration shrubs undoubtedly would 
be more plentifully planted. Because of this 
fact, they add to a city yard a means of con- 
trast which on a large estate could be obtained 
only by the judicious planting of tall-growing 
trees. By the use of shrubs, therefore, we are 
provided with the finishing touches which are 
necessary to the completion of the picture we 
desire to produce with nature's materials. 

The following list will assist the amateur in 
selecting shrubs for various situations and pur- 
poses : 

THE BEST HARDY SHRUBS 

FOR SHADY SITUATIOXS 

Mountain Laurel, Kalmia latifolia 

Mountain Fetter Bush, Pieris {Andromeda) florihiinda 

Mahonia, Berheris Aquifolium 

St. John's Wort, Hypericiini aureum 

Barberry, in variety, Berheris 

Privet in variety, Ligustruni 

Dogwood in variety, Cornus 

Sweet Pepper, Clethra ahiifoUa 

Wolfberry or Snowberry in variety, Si/inphoricarpos 

Sweet-scented shrub, Calycanthus floridus 

Wild Black currant, Ribes floridum 

Slender deutzia, Deuizia gracilis 

Rough-Leaved deutzia, Deuizia scahra 

Japanese quince, Cydonia Japonica 

SHRUBS THAT BLOO^I TWO MONTHS 

Japanese rose, Kerria Japonica 
Shrubby cinquefoil. PoUiitilhi frvficosa 
Sweet pepper, Clethra alnifoUa 



264 YARD AND GARDEN 



St. John's Wort, Hypericum prolificum 
l\ed root, Ceanothus Americanus 



EVERGREEN SHRUBS 

Mahonia, Berheris Aquifolium 

Evergreen azalea, Azalea amoena 

Mountain laurel, Kalmia latifolia 

Mountain fetter-bush, Pieris (Andromeda) floribunda 

Rliododendron Cataichiense and hybrids 

Dwarf pine, Pinus montana, var. Mughus 

SHRUBS WITH VARIEGATED FOLIAGE 

Purple-leaved barberry, Berheris vulgaris, var. atropurpurea 

Dogwood in variety, Cornus 

Syringa, Philadelphus coronarius, var. aureus 

Weigelia, Diervilla rosea, var. nana variegata 

Shrubby Althea, Hibiscus Syriacus, var. fl. pi. fol. var. 

Purple-leaved plum, Prunus Pissardi 

Golden elder, Samhucus nigra, var. aurea 

Filbert, Corylus maxima, var. pjurpurea 

SHRUBS THAT BLOOM FROM APRIL TO JUNE 

Goldenbell, Forsythia suspensa 

Japanese Quince, Cydonia Japonica 

Juneberry, A melanchier 

Lilac, Syringa imlgaris and varieties 

Barberry, Berheris vulgaris 

Azalea, in variety 

Daphne 

White Kerria, RJwdotypos herrioides 

Spircea in variety 

Tree peonies in variety, Pceonia Moulan 

Bush honeysuckle, Lonicera Tatarica 

Deutzia 

Snowball, Vihurnum 

SHRUBS THAT BLOOM IN JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 

Buttonbush, Ceplialanthvs occidentalis 

Spirwa 

Sweet pepper, Clefhra ahii folia 

St. John's \^'ort, Hypericum ^yrolificum 

Deutzia 

Hydrangea paniculata var. grandiflora 

Shrubby Althea in A^ariety, Hibiscus Syriacus 



SHRUBS 265 

SirnUBS WITH orxamextal fiutt 

]>arboiiy, Berhcris, scarlet and violet in September 

Ked Osier. Corniis sangumea, white berries in September 

Oleaster, Elwagnus longipes, red fruit 

Strawberry bush, Euonymus, red and \vhile fruit 

Cornelian cherry, Cornus mascula, fruit red 

Bush honeysuckle, Lonicera, in varietv, showy red and yellow 
fruit 

Brambles, Rubus, in variety, red fruit 

Elder, Samhuciis, purple fiiiit. changing to black in Auo-ust 
and September * 

Snowbcrry, ^umplwricarpos racoitusus, white berries all 
winter 

Wayfaring tree, Vibiirnum Lautaiui, bright red, nearly 
black in September 

High cranberry, ^'ihunu(nl OpiiJiis, red fruit, verv orna- 
mental 

Mahonia, Berhcris AquifoVium, l)]uish berries in July 

Buckthorn, Rhamnus, black fruit 



CHAPTER XIII 

TREES 

If it is well understood — as it should be — 
that the lawn surrounding the house is the 
canvas upon which a picture is to be made, we 
shall appreciate the fact that the extent to 
which trees are planted will depend entirely 
upon the size of the lawn. Naturally, where 
the area is small and the plot of grass is lim- 
ited, more dependence must be placed on 
shrubs than on trees. In a yard of generous 
dimensions, the trees have a place ; and, in such 
situations, they are the legitimate materials 
with which the landscape gardener obtains 
many of his most etfective results. 

PROPER SETTING FOR TREES 

In the city yard of small size, trees, espe- 
cially those which attain a great height, can not 
be employed effectively. Here, if trees are 
planted, very often the desired .picture is 
marred. It is, for instance, little less than ab- 

266 



TREES 

PLANTING A TREE 



267 




— 1— 

Dig the hole large and 
deep, laying surface soil to 
one side. Loosen earth in 
bottom of hole. 




Set the tree straight and 
throw surface soil around 
the roots. Leave no air 
spaces; firm with the hand. 




Throw in more soil, 
steadying the tree, and 
tramp into place. Be care- 
ful not to injure the roots. 




Do not firm the top layer 
of soil ; let it remain loose 
and pulverized, SliglitJy 
mound the soil. 



268 YARD AND GARDEN 

surd, as was said in the chapter on shrul)s, to 
set one or more of the tall-growing varieties 
in a front yard that is no more than ten or fif- 
teen feet deep and forty feet wide; the space 
could be employed to far greater advantage. 
We want shade but not at the expense of sun- 
light, fresh air, good taste and health. 

Still, trees have their value and it is only 
necessary to give them the proper setting in 
order to make apparent immediately how great 
this value is. To crowd them on a small area 
where they will not thrive, or to plant them 
where, owing to their size, they are entirely 
purposeless, is an error. Yet it is only too fre- 
quently made ; indeed, it is rather the rule than 
the exception. It seems to be the disposition 
of most persons, as soon as they obtain a lot 
whereon they expect to build sooner or later, 
to begin immediately the planting of trees. 
Without due consideration of the future possi- 
bilities, of the health of the trees themselves 
or the appearance of the place, they order them 
to be set out and thereafter are reluctant to get 
rid of them even though they find subsequently 
that their planting was unwise. Irresponsible 
agents of nurseries are to a great degree respon- 



TREES 269 

sible for this indiscriminate practice, for they 
no sooner learn that an unimproved lot has been 
purchased by a prospective home-builder than 
they besiege him. In glowing terms they de- 
scribe the various sorts they offer and in the 
end usually triumph by closing a contract for 
enough stock of the kind to plant an entire 
acre. 

The simple truth is that we buy trees and 
plant trees without giving due thought to 
either the purchase or the planting. We set 
them out because they are trees and not be- 
cause they will lend beauty to the yard. While 
this statement is made deliberately, it is not to 
be understood as decrying in any sense the 
ornamental value of the tree. The intention, 
on the contrary, is to impress the planter with 
the idea that indiscriminate planting is to be 
avoided and that if the full value of the decora- 
tive quality of the tree is to be realized, it must 
be given not a haphazard setting but one in 
which it can show to best advantage and in 
which it will harmonize most gracefully with 
all its surroundings. There is ample reason 
for objection to the planting of tall-growing 
trees on ordinary city lots where the valuable 



270 YARD AND GARDEN 

space is so small as to make a tree a ridiculous 
if not a pitiful sight. 

Where the yard is narrow and shallow with 
a front lawn not more than fifteen feet deep 
and the area in the rear of the house not more 
than thirty feet deep, trees are out of place. 
Doubtless there are many who will take issue 
with this statement, but in support of the con- 
tention, it should be necessary only to point to 
small yards upon which are crowded large 
trees and small yards upon which shrubs, 
vines and flowers appear in their stead. The 
difference in appearance should prove convinc- 
ing. 

PLACING TREES SUITABLY 

To begin with, trees require many years be- 
fore they reach that stage of perfection where 
they cease to be mere nursery stock. Until 
that stage is attained they are usually lacking 
in decorative value for the reason that they 
have not perfected their growth. In the sec- 
ond place, when they have attained mature 
height and spread of branches, if they are even 
fair specimens of what they should be, in by 
far the majority of instances they have out- 
grown their surroundings and appear out of 
place. In the third place, it is difficult to grow 



TREES 271 

healthy trees under conditions presented l)y 
the small city lot ; usually there is a surplus of 
shade in one direction or a surplus of sun in 
another, protection from one side and lack of 
protection from the other, and all these things 
tend to make a tree more or less one-sided in 
its growth — a blemish which mars the appear- 
ance of the tree and discounts to a great de- 
gree its value as an ornament. If there be any 
doubt of the truth of this statement compare 
the tree grown in the city with the field-grown 
specimen where conditions are not unbalanced 
and where the growth is unhampered and un- 
impeded. 

BORDERING PARKS 

If provision were made on all city streets 
for bordering parks wide enough to accommo- 
date trees, not only would it be unnecessary to 
plant them within the limits of yards, but the 
general effect obtained would be better. 
Sometime it will be more commonly recognized 
that in residence sections of our larger cities, 
width of roadway may be often reduced with- 
out loss to gain additional width to the street 
parks. In far too many instances, we fancy 
that we must have great width from curb to 



272 



YAPvD AND GARDEN 



curl) and no parks, whereas, it would profit us 
a great deal more, so far as appearances are 
concerned, to have less width between curbs 
and more width in the border between sidewalk 
and curb. If the latter policy were adopted, 
by the judicious selection and planting of trees 





Tree that has never been Trees ruined by ignorant 

pruned pruner 

(Photos, by Benjamin W. Doughiss) 

on these bordering spaces, the entire street 
would take upon itself an appearance impossi- 
ble to obtain where everything is sacrificed to 
roadway width. 

There is no prettier or more refreshing 
sight than city streets bordered on both sides 
by tall-growing and wide-spreading trees in 



TREES 273 

healthy vigor, in mature strength, far-reaeliing 
in spread of foliage and with leaves and limbs 
free from pest and disease. Residences are 
sufficiently shaded, the streets themselves be- 
come leafy archways and those who live there- 
on as well as those who use them as high- 
ways can not fail to mark the beautiful aspect 
they present. 

If, on the other hand, we thrust our side- 
walks against the curb, widening the road- 
way until the last available inch has been 
seized upon, and abolish the bordering park, 
we have converted a street into a mere thor- 
oughfare for traffic and have rol)bed it of all 
the ornamental possibilities it might otherwise 
possess. Or, if we crowd the sidewalk out and 
the street curl)ing in until we have left a bor- 
der only two or three feet in width, our only 
gain is something which is practically value- 
less. Under such conditions it is difficult to 
establish even a fair growth of grass. It 
would be better to carry the crowding process 
to its extreme and rid ourselves completely of 
this strip of grass. But, where it is possible 
to have street parks of fair width, either at the 
sides or in the middle of the street, trees should 
be planted and every effort should be made to 



274 YARD AND GARDEN 

insure their steady growth and healthful de- 
velopment. 

TREES ON LARGE CITY LOTS 

Of course, where a city lot measures as much 
as one hundred feet in width and one hundred 
and fifty feet in depth trees may be used to ad- 
vantage, for some shade about the house is an 
absolute necessity if the hot days of our sum- 
mer months are to be spent with comfort and 
if we are to be protected from the cold of our 
bleak and dreary winters. But this does not 
mean that they are as available as decorative 
material to the planter of such a yard as they 
are to the landscape gardener who is working 
on the extensive area of a country estate. On 
the latter, trees are used to hide unattractive 
views or to form backgrounds against which 
other ornamental materials are employed and 
here also they may stand for their own indi- 
vidual beauty. On such a place they have ^ ^pur- 
pose"; there is motive for their planting. On 
the small city lot there is seldom the one or the 
other. 

Frequently, however, city lots are purchased 
whereon already a tree of large size has estab- 
lished itself. Where such is the case every ef- 



TREES 275 

fort should be made to save the tree ; it should 
be protected from any possible damage at the 
hands of excavators, ditchers, or carpenters, 
and where one 'obtains such a prize one should 
make every effort to set the house so that the 
tree need not be sacrificed. Even if it is nec- 
essary to locate the dwelling three or four feet 
in one direction or another from the site origi- 
nally selected it will usually pay to make the 
change; the builder can well afford to accomo- 
date himself to the requirements of a stately 
and magnificent tree specimen which, no matter 
how he might plant or cultivate, could hardly 
be duplicated in the course of a lifetime. 

PRUNING 

Very often the fact that such trees are estab- 
lished on the lot purchased presents not a few 
problems for solution. The tree may, for in- 
stance, interfere with the grading desired. 
This, however, is not difficult to overcome if a 
little ingenuity is exercised. Sometimes the 
trees will require pruning and wherever such 
is the case the work should be undertaken by 
a person of unquestioned knowledge and ex- 
perience. Too often splendid specimens of 
trees have been ruined by ''butchers'' who 



276 YARD AND GARDEN 

possess no knowledge whatever of pruning re- 
quirements. They have "hacked" the tree out 
of all semblance of shape, destroyed its pro- 
portion and ''headed" it back until, if it re- 
covers from the process at all, it will never 
attain the perfect form it possessed before the 
inexperienced laborer began his work. Severe 
trimming and subsequent training in many in- 
stances may be necessary, but rather- than 
prune too severely it would be better to err on 
the safe side, obtaining the effect desired by 
degrees rather than by submitting the tree to 
the tender mercies of a man without know- 
ledge or experience. When a tree is old, long 
straggling branches are in many cases the 
cause of retarded growth; they are exposed to 
the heat of the sun and to the drying winds and 
the sap is impeded in its flow to such an ex- 
tent that very little new growth can be made. 
If these branches be headed back, not too se- 
verely, new growth will soon show and the 
trunk and limbs will subsequently be clothed 
and protected while the tree's form will be im- 
proved. But, in cutting off branches, if they 
be large, the wounds left should be painted 
with linseed oil paint. This prevents decay of 
tlie wood and serves to protect the tree from 



TREES 277 

diseases which often follow the operation of 
pruning. 

If the following principles are borne in mind 
pruning will cease to be a mystery to the novice 
and his trees thereafter need not be left at the 
mercy of the ignorant : 

1. Pruning the top strengthens the limbs re- 
maining — the root system is not altered. 

2. Pruning the roots retards top growth be- 
cause it reduces the supply of food. 

3. Trimming away terminal growths causes 
forking which, obviously, increases or thick- 
ens the branch system. It likewise encourages 
fruit and flower production. 

4. Winter pruning produces greater vigor 
in limbs permitted to remain ; summer pruning 
produces more wood. 

5. Light annual pruning is better than heavy 
pruning done at longer intervals. 

6. Dead wood should be removed at once, no 
matter the season. 

TRANSPLANTING LARGE TREES 

Modern methods now in vogue permit the 
successful transplanting of trees of extraor- 
dinary height and with an extensive spread of 
roots. When, therefore, a lot is obtained upon 



278 YARD AND GARDEN 

which there are no old trees and upon which 
it is desired to have trees of hirge size for im- 
mediate effect, these may be employed. Of 
course, while the tree presents no exception to 
the rule that the younger a plant is the better 
it withstands transplanting, still if the opera- 
tion is carefully carried forward trees will suf- 
fer few ill effects from the transplanting. The 
principles governing the operation are the same 
whether the tree is large or small ; it is only 
in their execution that there is a difference. 
Small trees may be transplanted by hand, 
whereas various mechanical devices have been 
perfected for the safe transplanting of the 
larger trees. By these devices or machines 
an immense ball of earth is lifted with the 
roots and the roots themselves are but slightly 
damaged. Where these machines are not to be 
had they may be approximated l)y the use of 
the riggings commonh^ employed by , house 
movers. 

Many persons believe that the moving of 
large trees, even when the operation is accom- 
plished with apparent success and without evi- 
dent damage to the root system, is invariably 
an ultimate failure. They are inclined to be- 
lieve that smaller trees which have not been 



TREES 



279 




280 YARD AND GARDEN 

submitted to such violent disturbance quickly 
overtake the larger trees. This idea arises, no 
doubt, from the custom which still very gener- 
ally prevails of moving trees with trunks six 
to twelve inches in diameter, with only a small 
ball of roots measuring, in some instances, only 
three or four feet in diameter. This ball, as 
small as it is, can not contain the larger roots 
and, as from sixty to ninety per cent, of the 
feeding roots are lost in the process, the tree 
naturally receives a set-back from which it is 
not likely to recover. It sends out its leaves, 
using in this process the plant foods stored with- 
in its cells but, having nothing with which to 
replenish the supply, fails to support the foliage 
and, in successive seasons, the leaves are less 
plentiful, the branches die and the bark itself 
perishes. 

In the transplanting of large trees it is most 
important to obtain all the roots possible. In 
order to do this the digging should be begun at 
a distance great enough from the trunk of the 
tree to permit all the excavation that may be 
necessary. As the ends of the roots are un- 
covered they should be carefully lifted and tied 
so as not to impede the progress of the work- 
men or suffer damage at their hands. As the 



TREES 281 

earth is removed from beneath the tree the ti-ee 
itself should be made secure by ropes which, 
by the employment of pulleys, can be so ad- 
justed as to give the tree at all stages of the 
operation the necessary pitch to facilitate the 
excavating. Supports should l)e placed under 
the ball of earth remaining in contact with the 
roots so that the tree will not be in danger of 
falling into the hole made by the diggers. 
Then, with the root system uncovered and 
carefully tied so that no damage will result, 
b}^ use of the ^'jacks'' and other apparatus 
commonly employed by house movers, the tree 
may be lifted and brought to its final location. 

TRANSPLANTING SMALL TREES 

But, when a tree is small, we have no such 
difficulties to encounter in transplanting it. 
As already suggested, nursery-grown trees 
which have been transplanted once or twice — 
as most nursery trees are — prove the best. 
They have been cultivated with a view to trans- 
planting and withstand the operation much 
more successfully. Such specimens, if sound, 
full of life and planted in a favoral)]e soil, 
are almost sure to thrive. To make this surer, 
however, it is necessary to remember a few 



282 YARD AND GARDEN 

fundamental principles in the treatment and 
care of the stock that is being transplanted. 
As soon as the tree is received from the nur- 
sery, it should be pruned. First, cut out all 
the broken branches ; second, cut back all the 
side branches to within a few inches of the 
stem, leaving at least two sound buds; third, 
the leader should be cut back; and fourth, all 
the broken or bruised roots should be cut away 
just above the wound with a sharp knife, mak- 
ing the cut in such manner that, as the tree is 
set on the bottom of the hole, the cut surface 
of the remaining stub will come in direct con- 
tact with the soil. It is also advisable to 
shorten slightly any straggling roots which 
may appear. 

These rules apply particularly to fruit trees 
that "may be set out on the home grounds, but 
in the planting of shade and ornamental trees 
the process is not very different. Of course, 
the owner does not relish the idea of buying 
a fifteen-foot Norway maple, for instance, only 
to cut off its top and half of its roots before 
he plants it. But it is always best to cut back 
the tops of the trees to a considerable degree 
when they are transplanted, for the root sys- 
tem is almost invariably reduced and if the top 



TREES 283 

is not shortened in similar proportions the bal- 
ance between roots and top, which it is always 
wise to preserve, is destroyed. 

METHOD OF PLANTING 

Deciduous trees must be transplanted either 
very early in the spring, as soon as the ground 
can be worked, or late in the fall after the leaves 
have fallen. Possibly the best results follow 
spring planting under ordinary conditions. 
But, whichever the season selected, the hole to 
receive the trees must be deeper and larger 
than the root mass and in the bottom there 
should be a liberal quantity of well-rotted 
manure stirred in the soil. On top of this in 
turn there should be a layer of three or four 
inches of good earth. 

It is always best in setting the tree to have 
at hand a quantity of finely pulverized soil 
which may be thrown in as soon as the tree 
is placed in position. As the hole is gradually 
filled make sure that the dirt is pressed down 
frequently and that the roots come in close and 
intimate contact with the earth so that no air 
spaces are left. Also make sure that the roots 
are spread in a natural position and that no 
two of them touch each other. Do not hesitate 



284 YARD AND GARDEN 

to firm the soil thoroughly about the roots so 
that the new growth will be encouraged from 
the beginning. While it is possible, of course, 
to apply too much jjressure to the soil about 
the roots, more often the trouble is due to a 
lack of pressure. Before the soil is made firm, 
see that there is sufficient earth underlying the 
roots to prevent any damage to them owing 
to the pressure from above. When the roots 
have been covered with earth and this has 
been ''firmed," water should be applied liber- 
ally. After this the remaining dirt should be 
thrown in loosely and not tamped at all. Ap- 
plied in this manner, it serves as a mulch and 
is far better than when the soil is rendered 
hard and compact from the surface down, 

CULTIVATION 

The planting does not represent the end of 
the work by any means. Trees require plant 
food and unless the soil is naturally very rich 
this food must be supplied from time to time. 
When the tree is planted on the lawn and lib- 
eral dressings of manure are supplied for the 
grass in the fall or spring, this usually will suf- 
fice for the trees. But trees are always grate- 
ful for plant food in any form, such as ground 



TREES 285 

bone and potash or other good conimercial fer- 
tilizers or barnyard manure. AVatering also 
should not be neglected while the tree is re- 
covering from the shock of transplanting, and 
the water should be so generously supplied that 
there will be no chance of the moisture fail- 
ing to reach the roots. Mere dampening of 
the surface is of no benefit ; the water must be 
given in such quantity that it will saturate the 
soil and penetrate to the roots. This takes 
much more water than is commonly supposed, 
for the diffusion of moisture through the soil 
when supplied to the surface is so slow that 
the beginner may imagine that, because a pud- 
dle has been formed on top, the roots have been 
plentifully supplied. 

EVERGREENS 

In the transplanting of evergreens more care 
is necessary than with the deciduous trees. 
They should he planted a fidl month before the 
iisucd Slimmer drought sets in or before the 
cold of ivinter is due. This advice is made 
reasonable at once when it is considered that 
the roots of evergreens must supply the foliage 
with moisture every day in the year. There- 
fore, if established l^efore natural conditions 



286 YARD AND GARDEN 

begin to tax all the energies and resources of 
the trees, they are more likely to succeed. In 
winter, for instance, a few days of sunshine 
will prove a severe trial for even an old-estab- 
lished tree; the leaves dry faster than the 
frozen roots can replace the sap lost. A newly 
planted tree, under such conditions, would suf- 
fer severely, for the roots, broken and bruised, 
would find the task too much for them in their 
enfeebled condition. So far as transplanting 
in summer is concerned, it must be remembered 
that evergreens are far more sensitive than de- 
ciduous trees to drying of the roots. The 
presence of the resinous sap is the explanation ; 
this, when slightly dried, hardens. On this ac- 
count, avoid exposing the roots of evergreens 
to the sun or wind; even when conveying the 
trees only a short distance, puddle the roots or 
wrap them in wet sackcloth. See to it also 
that all ragged ends of roots are neatly 
trimmed, cutting off the l)roken end square and 
clean. But never prune the foliage. The 
leader may be cut out if considered necessary, 
but, further than this, no trimming should be 
done. Not enough can be accomplished in the 
way of restoring the balance between root and 
top growth to make the pruning of value, while 



TREES 



287 





288 YARD AND GARDEN 

even a little pruning — in addition to cutting 
back the leader — will mar the symmetry and 
beauty of the specimen. 

SELECTING TREES 

American and European nurseries offer more 
than six hundred species of trees that are 
hardy in the northern and middle states of 
this country. Of this number nearly two hun- 
dred and fifty are natives of America; the 
others come from eastern, western and central 
Asia and Europe. From such a list, of course, 
it is possible to make selections almost without 
limit, but only such trees should be planted as 
are well adapted to the conditions under which 
they are to be grown. On this account native 
trees are always to be preferred, for these will 
be better suited to the climate and soil and ac- 
cordingly will be more likely to succeed. 

The selection of trees for street and avenue 
planting is a matter of much importance. No 
matter how imposing may be the architecture 
of a city, the foliage of trees will enhance its 
value; on the other hand, no matter how un- 
pretentious, even ugly, the structures may be, 
the trees will lend them beauty. They provide 
grateful shade in summer for overheated man 



TREES 289 

and beast and, from a pecuniary point of view, 
they are a good investment, attracting atten- 
tion and inviting home-seekers. Fortunately 
tlie list from which we can select for this pur- 
pose is large and varied, but the following are 
undou])tedly the best, all considered: The 
American elm {Ulmus Americana) ; the Eng- 
lish elm (Ulmiis campestris) ; the horse chest- 
nut (^sciilus Hippocastanum) ; the silver ma- 
j)le (Acer saccharinum) ; the American ash 
(Fraxinus Americana) ; the buttonwood or 
sycamore (Platanus (Kcidentalis) ; the maiden- 
hair tree {Ginkgo hiloba) ; the rock or sugar 
maple {Acer saccharum) ; the Norway maple 
{Acer platanoides) ; the American beech {Fa- 
gus ferriiginea) ; the white poplar {Populus 
alba) ; the American linden ( Tilia Americana) ; 
the European linden {Tilia vulgaris) ; the tree 
of Heaven {AilantJius glanditlosa) ; the white 
willow {Salix alba) ; the tulip tree {Lirioden- 
dron hdipifera) ; the red oak {Quercus rubra) ; 
and the pin oak {Quercus palustris). 

In the planting of street trees, sanitary and 
hygienic conditions must be considered. The 
streets should not be too shaded, nor should the 
trees themselves be crowded. The minimum 
distance apart for setting the trees fixed by 



290 YARD AND GARDEN 

experts is sixty feet, but in the case of the 
large growers, like the elms and soft maples, 
seventy-five feet wonld probably be better. It 
is usually found, however, that the distance is 
mucli less, each owner of a small lot planting 
two or three trees in the immediate front of 
his own home without regard to the proximity 
of neighboring trees. This is very likely to 
continue the case until municipal governments 
realize not only the advantages but the neces- 
sity of taking in hand the street planting as 
they have the control, the management and the 
ornamental planting of the public parks. 

TREE-DESTROYERS 

Trees planted in cities are established under 
artificial conditions and, in the care bestowed 
upon them, this fact must not be overlooked. 
A specimen growing in the open field, under 
normal conditions, will in most instances take 
care of itself; it requires no pruning — it 
prunes itself— and, in other respects, it thrives 
best, probably, when left to its own devices. 
But the same tree transplanted to a city site is 
introduced to abnormal conditions ; the atmos- 
phere is smothery with smoke, buildings crowd 
it, electric light wires burn it, leaking gas suf- 



TREES 291 

focates it, and careless excavators shatter its 
roots. It becomes an easy prey to insects and 
an easy victim of disease. It requires atten- 
tion, even some coddling, and mil ess attention 
is given it, its health is not likely to be remark- 
able. But it resents misdirected efforts in its 
behalf as much as it resents the infliction of 
damage due to less considerate motives. And 
probably the most persistent source of disas- 
ter is the ignorant laborer armed with pruning 
shears and saw to whom reference has already 
been made. Still he is not alone in the cate- 
gory of tree-destroyers. In every tree-top we 
can read the history of some great fight with 
impending disaster. Leaf, flower, fruit, twig 
and branch recite the story to those who know 
the language, while, underground, other dis- 
closures await the intelligent investigator. 
Some of the enemies are natural but many of 
them can be traced to man and man's civiliza- 
tion. 

Insects come first. After these the most de- 
structive agent is fire. Winds, lightning, ice, 
drought and flood all cause damage; fungi at- 
tack the wood ; wasteful lumbermen deplete the 
forests and bacterial and constitutional dis- 
eases lurk where least suspected. 



292 YARD AND GARDEN 

The insects may be combated with success if 
the battle is begun in time. Borers, infesting 
the solid wood, tunneling and cutting it into 
channels; sucking insects, puncturing the skin 
of leaves, fruit, twigs or roots and withdraw- 
ing the juices ; chewing insects, devouring the 
substance of leaves and other parts of the tree 
— all these can be exterminated by the use of 
poisons, sprayed or fumigated, or by the em- 
ployment of mechanical means. The borers 
must be dug out, but the chewing insects may 
be killed by spraying poison — Paris green or 
arsenic of lead, for instance — on their food. 
The sucking insects are killed by spraying 
with kerosene and water, made into an emul- 
sion, with whale-oil soap or with a mixture of 
lime and sulphur in solution. These sprays 
choke or smother the insect or so injure the 
body wall that the tree enemy succumbs. 



CHAPTER XIV 

SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 

Science, with all its discoveries, has iiot yet 
solved the mystery of soil. It has learned 
much from practical experiment and labora- 
tory investigation, but it has not yet unriddled 
the riddle of the soil's support of plant life. 
We are still in the dark as to the nature 
of many of the substances which contribute to 
the formation of soil and we know no more of 
the part they play in plant nutrition. We 
know, in fact, little more than that the soil, far 
from being a dead, inert mass, is teeming with 
living organisms that are constantly at work. 
It is, as it has been described, a laboratory in 
which wonderful chemical actions are taking 
place whereby food for vegetable life is sup- 
plied and means provided for its assimilation 
by plant roots. 

But with the theory of all this, the gardener 
has little to do. Like the electrician who 
harnesses a power whose very nature is a mys- 
293 



294 



YARD AND GARDEN 




Decorative Value of the Haw 



SOIL AND FEKTILIZEKS 295 

tery, the cultivator may proceed to turn to 
practical use what Nature has provided even 
though he has no intimate knowledge of the 
purposes or the processes involved. Ex- 
perience must be his teacher and, in this in- 
stance, at least, it is a good instructor. 

COMPOSITION OF SOIL 

Plants, we know, must feed and 1)reathe if 
they are to live. We know further that some 
soils provide the plants with the necessities of 
life in plentiful quantity, others half starve 
them and still others feed them not at all. It 
is obvious that the gardener, if he is to have 
healthful, fully developed plants, must obtain, 
at first hand or by cultivation, soil conditions 
that will provide his plants with all they de- 
mand. 

Soil, in a physical sense, is a substance com- 
posed chiefly of minute fragments of mineral 
matter with which is mixed decayed vegetable 
and animal matter. According to its compo- 
sition it is one of three types — sand, clay or 
humus. Sandy soil contains 80 to 100 per cent, 
of sand, and, owing to the absence of vegetable 
or animal matter in any appreciable propor- 
tions, supplies but little nutriment to growing 



296 YARD AND GARDEN 

plants. It is valuable, however, as a medium 
in which to root cuttings, for fungus diseases 
seldom develop in such a soil, and, as the 
plantlets, until their roots have sprouted, re- 
quire little nourishment, outside of what is ob- 
tained through the water applied, no soil is 
better adapted to the purpose than that which 
is sandy. 

Clay soils contain only a small proportion of 
sand — from to 20 per cent. — and, unless in 
some manner more sand is added, it is of little 
value for plant raising. It contains an abun- 
dance of plant food, but, owing to the fact that 
the food is unavailable, plant life can not 
thrive in such a rooting medium. The small 
particles of soil are tightly compressed in clay 
and, though these absorb moisture, they give 
it off reluctantly. Roots suffer not only on 
this account but also through their inability to 
penetrate into the compact mass. 

Humus is decayed vegetable matter and may, 
in turn, be divided into two classes. The first 
is composed of vegetable matter which has 
come to decay in dry earth and is known as 
leaf-mold. The second is composed of vegeta- 
ble matter which has decayed under the water 
of bogs or swamps and is known as peat. Both 



SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 297 

are important constituents of good garden 
soil, but neither is supplied with all the nutri- 
tive substances demanded by plants for their 
development. Both are light and porous and 
are used to mix with stiffer soils to impart to 
the latter the two qualities for which they are 
most noteworthy. 

Soils, as they are found in yards, gardens 
and fields, are mixtures. They i)artake of the 
character of one or another of the types ac- 
cording to which contributes most to the com- 
position. A sandy soil, for instance, is that 
in which sand predominates, while a stiff, 
heavy soil, or clay soil, contains a greater 
quantity of clay than a well-proportioned soil 
should contain. These mixtures have in their 
turn been named. First, tliere is loam, a soil 
in which there is from 40 to 60 per cent, of 
sand and the rest clay. This is the basis. If 
a loam contains more sand — from 60 to 80 
per cent. — it is known as a ''sandy loam"; if 
it contains less — 20 to 40 per cent. — it is 
known as a '' clay loam." In most instances, 
some of the sand and clay is replaced by humus 
and, if the quantity be large, the soil is desig- 
nated as ^' black loam." 

Plant food is of three kinds — water, chem- 



298 YARD AND GARDEN 

ical substances and gases. The first is essen- 
tial not only as a source of food but as a food 
solvent and a distributing agency of many es- 
sential inorganic substances which plant life 
requires. The principal chemical substances 
demanded by plants are potash, phosphorus 
and lime; and the gases are nitrogen, oxygen, 
carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Most of these 
are present in the average soils of meadows, 
but if the soil lacks them, they must be sup- 
plied in greater or less quantities and in avail- 
able form before sturdy plants of any sort can 
be raised. This we do by applying fertilizers. 

GOOD GARDEN SOIL 

Fertilizers, however, will not put poor soil 
into good mechanical condition. We might apply 
hundreds of pounds of any or all of these ferti- 
lizers to clay and still the plants supported by 
the soil would not prosper. This would be due 
to the fact that the food so supplied is not avail- 
able. The mechanical condition of the soil 
would prevent the proper assimilation of the 
food and the plants would perish. To get soil, 
therefore, into the best condition, we must first 
of all cultivate it, work it and see to it that, 
from the mechanical viewpoint, it does not pos- 



SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 299 

sess an injurious surplus of sand or clay or 
humus. If the soil of our yards is too heavy, 
sand must be added ; if too light, we must sup- 
ply clay and humus. 

The matter is simple, and the amateur must 
not permit himself to become confused by tech- 
nical terms or to believe that the soil in his 




Colony of Sedum spectahile in Poor Soil 

yard is ''impossible." Soil can usually be put 
into very good condition by no other process 
than thorough cultivation. It is not wise, there- 
fore, to be too hasty in deciding that the soil 
at your disposal is not good soil. In not a 
few instances, the amateur, bent upon supply- 
ing all the best conditions for plant growth. 



300 YAED AND GARDEN 

fancies that new soil is necessary. The old 
soil is removed and, in its place, new earth 
is deposited. The expense is great, but the 
real extravagance is only evident when it is 
learned subsequently that the work was alto- 
gether unnecessary. The author recalls one 
instance in which he was informed by an en- 
thusiastic beginner that the soil in the yard 
where the latter expected to establish his gar- 
den was worthless. A visit to the place, how- 
ever, disclosed the fact that a rank growth of 
weeds had sprung up and was thriving so lux- 
uriantly that there could be no question of the 
value of the soil on hand. In another in- 
stance, over one hundred loads of soil were 
carted away from a back-yard and dumped up- 
on a vacant lot. This was done, of course, 
to make a place for good soil. Two months 
later, the weeds upon the ''poor" soil stood 
higher than a man's head and a colony of nas- 
turtiums had established itself and was produc- 
ing blooms finer than those the hasty begin- 
ner was coaxing in his new soil. 

Sorauer, in his Physiology of Plants, says: 
*'The ideal condition of a soil is one in which 
it resembles a sponge, and in which it will re- 
tain the greatest amount of nutritive substances 



SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 301 

and water without losing its capacity for absorb- 
ing air." 

No briefer or more practical definition could 
be made and if the amateur pays heed to it 
many gardening problems and disappointments 
will be avoided. Cultivation is obviously the 
first means to the end, for not only does it 
bring the soil to good condition, but it renders 
available such plant food as it contains, and 
prepares the earth for the reception of addi- 
tional nutritive substances. At the same time, 
cultivation enables the gardener to provide, 
even in limited space, the soil most suitable for 
the plants he may desire to grow. For in- 
stance, if his soil be of a heavy nature, contain- 
ing less sand than it should, it will need com- 
paratively little modifying to make it fit for the 
growth of roses, plants that prefer such soil 
conditions. On the other hand, in the bed 
wherein he may desire to grow pansies, he will 
find that the addition of leaf-mold will insure 
him more vigorous plants and more profuse 
and larger blooms. 

CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL 

It follows, consequently, that if there be in 
the beginning a workable foundation, it is bet- 



302 YARD AND GAEDEN 

ter to bring it to the fittest condition by careful 
cultivation than to remove it entirely and sub- 
stitute a better soil, perhaps, but one which, 
after all, must be considerably modified to meet 
the demands of various plants. But, whether 
the soil is new or old, it must be well worked. 
Plow it or spade it and in either case make sure 
that the cultivation is deep and thorough. 

There is no better method of preparing the 
soil than that which the English gardener 
terms ^'bastard trenching." It is effective 
and not difficult to execute. The top soil to 
the depth of one foot is removed, pulverized 
as it is thrown to one side, and the underlying 
soil is spaded to the depth of a foot. The sur- 
face earth is then replaced in its original po- 
sition. It is at once apparent that this method 
of digging garden beds and borders permits 
not only a thorough tillage of the soil but the 
addition of fertilizer and its complete incor- 
poration with the earth. It affords, too, a sim- 
ple means for the preparation of the soil for 
plants which may require special rooting me- 
diums; humus may be added while the opera- 
tion is in progress or sand or heavy soil may 
replace that which is not of proper physical 
condition. The process, moreover, insures the 



SOIL AND FEETILIZERS 303 

removal of all stones and rubl)isli from the 
beds and borders so treated and discloses the 
necessity — should it exist — for providing 
drainage. 

DRAINAGE 

The subject of drainage should not be over- 
looked by the gardener, for it often means 
success or failure. In cases where the garden 
is small, confined to a bed or border, drainage 
may not play an important part. Still, even 
in such instances, a water-logged soil is ob- 
viously not desirable. It can be corrected by 
removing the earth entirely to a depth of thirty 
inches and, after setting a five-inch layer of 
gravel in the bottom, refilling, being careful to 
replace the surface soil on top. Where, how- 
ever, larger areas are to be drained, tile pipe, 
set in runs, should be used. 

FERTILIZERS 

The use of fertilizers is a matter that proves 
difficult for the beginner to master. He is far 
more likely to surfeit his plants on too much 
than to starve them on too little, and, so far as 
this danger is concerned, he must depend upon 
his own judgment to avoid it. No rule can be 
laid down for the application of animal ma- 



304 YARD AND GARDEN 

nures or of those in chemical form, for soils 
differ materially and what might be right in 
one case would prove too much or too little in 
another. If, however, the amateur confines 
himself in the beginning to the use of animal 
manures, he will materially reduce the risk. 
Of these manures, produced by cow, horse, 
sheep and poultry, cow manure is the best and 
safest. In any event, it is most generally ap- 
plied and the best for the greatest number of 
plants. Horse manure is more heating and, 
with hen manure, should be used on stiff, 
cold soils rather than upon a warm, sandy com- 
post. 

All animal manure should be well rotted be- 
fore it is applied. Make use of it only after it 
has stood at least six months and, during this 
period, been forked over frequently. It should 
then assume much of the appearance of rich, 
black earth, should be fine and should retain 
very little, if, indeed, any of its original form. 
So far as the quantity to be applied is con- 
cerned, here, as already stated, the gardener's 
judgment must come into play, but, under av- 
erage conditions, a wheel-barrow load to a 
square yard is as much as should be used. This 
is ample for strong-growing plants and for well 



SOIL AND FERTILIZERS 305 

established shrubs; less should be distributed 
for plants of weaker growth. 

Hen manure supplies fertilizing elements in 
more concentrated form than the other barn- 
yard products and, on this account, should be 
applied cautiously. It is best used when mixed 
with an equal quantity of loam or leaf-mold. 
Sheep manure is also a strong fertilizer and, 
while it is to be recommended, especially 
as it can be had in pulverized form, it 
is best applied as a liquid fertilizer. Make 
the solution by suspending a bag containing 
one pound in five gallons of water. When the 
solution assumes the color of tea, apply it to 
the beds or borders. 

Cow manure may be applied in the same 
manner, using a bushel to fifty gallons of water. 
Another fertilizer which is readily applied in 
this manner is soot — soft coal soot. Soot 
water is made by suspending a bag containing 
one-half pint of soot in ten gallons of water. 
Soot, however, is a valuable stimulant when ap- 
plied directly to the soil. It imparts a glossy 
dark green foliage and healthy vigor to many 
plants and, in both the flower and vegetable 
gardens, does much to banish pests such as 
caterpillars and leaf-miners. 



106 



YAED AND GARDEN 




SOIL AND FEETILIZEES 307 

Hard-wood ashes, kept dry, are also valuable, 
not only as a fertilizer but as a preventive of in- 
sects. They should not be mixed with manure 
but" should be strewn over the surfaces of beds 
or borders after the other manures have be- 
come incorporated with the soil. 

Flowers and shrubs require a considerable 
quantity of phosphoric acid. Ground bone 
may be used to supply the demand and, besides 
containing this element, it also supplies nitro- 
gen. A good dressing, to be mixed with the 
soil or applied to the surface in the autumn, is 
made of four parts of ground bone and one of 
muriate of potash. The mixture should be ap- 
plied at the rate of one pound to fifty or sixty 
square feet of surface. 

Nitrate of soda encourages luxuriant growth 
of stalk and foliage rather than of flowers. It 
should be applied at the rate of one ounce to 
the square yard. 

A convenient and satisfactory liquid fertilizer 
can be made of the commercial fertilizers as 
follows : 

5 oz. sulphate of potash 

1 lb. nitrate of soda 

1 lb. monobasic calcium phosphate 

These are added to one gallon of water and 
this solution, in turn, is diluted from fifteen to 



308 YARD AND GARDEN 

thirty times, beginning with the weaker solu- 
tion and, as growth progresses, gradually 
increasing the strength until the more concen- 
trated solution is being employed. When used 
on lawns to hasten growth, the proportion of 
nitrate of soda should be doubled and the cal- 
cium phosphate reduced by half, but, if used on 
plants, especially those grown in pots, reduce 
the nitrate one-half and double the amount of 
potash. 



CHAPTER XV 

INSECTS AND DISEASES 

No sooner is a plant established or a garden 
planted than the gardener mnst begin his war 
against insect and disease. If it is not the one 
that menaces his plants, it is the other, and, 
not infrequently, both are present to work 
havoc if the planter is not on his guard. In 
the case of both, an ounce of prevention is 
worth a pound of cure and, while preventive 
measures do not always insure the freedom of 
a yard, garden, orchard, shrubbery or planta- 
tion of shade trees from attack, at least they 
give the insects and diseases less opportunity 
to gain hold. Moreover, their exercise means 
a thoroughness that will result in the immedi- 
ate detection of an invasion and the subsequent 
attack upon the enemy before opportunity has 
been afforded for its estal)lishing itself. 

CLEANLINESS THE BEST PREVENTIVE 

Cleanliness is the first and foremost means 
to the end. Keep the yard clean, the shrub- 
309 



310 YARD AND GARDEN 

bery borders free from weeds and the hardy 
borders and flower-beds in a high state of culti- 
vation. Remove dead leaves, twigs and limbs 
and, if they appear to have perished from some 
abnormal cause, burn them. Be cautious in 
what you deposit on the compost bed for, very 
often, disease is reintroduced into the garden 
by using decayed vegetable matter that is in- 
fested with disease or in which are deposited 
the eggs of . destructive insects. In many in- 
stances, when an entire plant or shrub is badly 
attacked, it is best to remove the stricken plant 
at once and burn it without delay. 

METHODS OF DESTROYING INSECTS 

With the origin, history and classification of 
the various destructive insects, the gardener 
is not greatly concerned. It is more to his ad- 
vantage to know their habits, for it is through 
a knowledge of these that he is enabled to com- 
bat them. He must know, first of all, whether 
the insect which has invaded his garden or his 
orchard is a biting or a sucking insect. If the 
former, direct poisons, such as the arsenicals, 
are employed, for insects of this class actually 
masticate and swallow some portion of the solid 
substance of the plant, as the wood, bark. 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 



;ii 




raying Easily Done in the Averaije City Yard 



312 



YARD AND GARDEN 



leaves, fruit or flower. If the insect, however, 
is of the sucking variety, injuring plants by the 
gradual consumption of plant juices — such as 
the thrips, plant-lice, scale insects and mites — 
then a poison must be used that will act exter- 
nally upon the bodies of the insects. Obtaining 
their food by inserting their sucking beaks into 




Typical Chowing- Insect (Cecropia moth) 

the soft tissues of the plant that lie below the 
external covering, they escape poisons that 
would prove fatal to the chewing insect and 
must be combated, therefore, by other and more 
direct means, such as the employment of caus- 
tic substances, those that will smother them by 
closing or clogging their breathing pores, or 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 313 

exterminate them by filling the air surrounding 
them with poisonous fumes. 

The following table lists the insects most 
commonly met with and prescribes the poison 
for each, giving at the same time the names of 
the plants most frequently attacked.* 

j^^ts — Usually harmful only on the lawn. 
Pour a teaspoonful of bisulphate of carbon in 
the holes and immediately cover or plug. 

Aphis — Plant-lice, pale or dark green, brown 
or black, found on stems and leaves all sea- 
son outdoors and on indoor plants all winter. 
Spray with whale-oil soap or fumigate with to- 
bacco. 

Borer — Many trees in addition to the maple 
are attacked by borers. The round-headed 
apple borer and the flat-headed borer attack 
the apple and the thorn ; the peach borer attacks 
the plum, peach and cherry, and other trees, 
such as the poplar, willow, linden, locust, etc. 
Apply the same treatment as that prescribed 
for the maple-borer. 
Black Lice — See Aphis. 

* The aiitlior is indebted for much of the matter on this sub- 
ject to the various bulletins issued by the Department of Agri- 
culture and especially to Benjamin W. Douglass, State Ento- 
mologist of Indiana, not only for assistance frequently ren- 
dered, but for many photographs as well. 



314 YARD AND GARDEN 

Canker Worm — This insect feeds on the 
leaves, devouring all save the skeleton and mid- 
rib and giving to the tree attacked the appear- 
ance of having suffered from exposure to fire. 
It is a dull-colored measuring worm, and drops 
from the tree by a thread web. Bands of tar 
or sticky paper may be used with good results, 
provided the bands are employed from the mid- 
dle of November to the latter part of April. 
Spraying with Paris green or arsenate of lead 
is also effective. 

Catalpa Sphinx — The so-called Catalpa 
Sphinx is difficult to control, owing to the char- 
acter of the plants it feeds on. Neither spray- 
ing nor hand picking is practical, and the only 
method of control seems to be thorough cul- 
tivation under the trees in both late fall and 
early spring. 

Chrysanthemum Lice — See Aphis. 

Codlin Moth — It is the presence of this insect 
that makes apple growing difficult in this coun- 
try. The insect hatches from the cocoons in 
the late spring and at once lays its eggs on 
the young apples, mostly at the flower end. 
The trees should be sprayed just after the 
blossoms fall so as to fill the calyx with the 
poison, as many of the young larvae enter the 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 315 

fruit at this point. In case of very wet weather 
it is advisable to give a second spraying about 
two weeks later and again early in July. The 
late spraying is to meet a second brood which 
appears about that time. The first spraying 
may be of Paris green or other arensic poison, 
the subsequent ones with poisoned Bordeaux. 

Cottonivood-leaf ^ee^/e— Striped beetle at- 
tacking poplars and willows and feeding on 
leaves and shoots. Apply arsenites. 

Cutworm — Devours flowers and foliage. Use 
arsenite spray. 

Curculio—l^hi^ is a small beetle that aifects 
cherries, apples and plums— notably the last. 
The adult beetles have a habit of feeding on 
the fruit and some of them may be poisoned 
with a Paris green spray applied just after the 
blossoms fall. It is also possible to gather the 
small beetles by jarring them down from the 
tree and catching them on sheets spread on the 
ground. Especially constructed ^'Curculio 
catchers" are sometimes employed for this pur- 
pose and are made so that they may be moved 
from tree to tree. The insects are collected 
from the sheet and destroyed. 

Earthivorms — Troublesome only in potted 
soil. Water with brine water. 



316 YARD AND GARDEN 

Elm Beetle — Yellowish-brown color, one- 
fourth inch long. Appears in early summer. 
Feeds on leaves. Spray with Paris green last 
of May or early in June and again about the 
middle of June or use arsenites with kerosene 
emulsion. 

Elm Scale — Small, soft scale insect of whitish 
color. Appears on underside of branches. 
Spray with kerosene emulsion the first two 
weeks in June. 

Fall Weh-worm — Larva one inch long, hairy. 
Very destructive, feeding on the leaves of al- 
most all the trees. Burn the webs where 
formed. Spray with arsenites. 

Four-striped Plant Bug — A yellow, black- 
striped bug, one-fourth inch long. Punctures 
young leaves and shoots of many plants, espe- 
cially the dahlia. Hand pick or spray with 
kerosene emulsion. 

Green-fy — See Aphis. 

Hollyhock Bug — Small bug of greenish color 
that causes serious injury to hollyhocks. Spray 
with kerosene emulsion. 

Leaf -cutter — Yellowish-green caterpillar 
about one inch long, black spots. Appears in 
June and July. Spray with tobacco or ker- 
osene emulsion. 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 317 

Lice — See Aphis. 

Maple Borer — Dangerous insect enemy be- 
cause its presence is difficult to detect before 
serious injury lias been done. It is a beetle 
with yellowish head, body an inch long and 
wings yellow and black. Appears in July and 
August. The only sure remedy is to dig the 
borers out. The trunk may also be painted, 
with lime wash containing Paris green at the 
rate of 5 oz. to the gallon. 

Maple Cotton or Woolly Scale — Body of in- 
sect and mass of eggs are covered with a white, 
cotton-like substance. Attacks soft maples, 
also occasionally elms, chestnuts and lindens. 
Spray with lime-sulphur wash in water or 
whale-oil soap. 

Mealy-hug — ^White, scale-like insect fre- 
quently attacking plants under glass. Spray 
with whale-oil soap or syringe with clear water 
thrown in a hard stream. Dip small potted 
plants in water heated to a temperature of 125'' 
Fahrenheit. 

Mite — Resembles red-spider but is lighter in 
color. Feeds on under side of leaves, espe- 
cially of greenhouse plants. Spray with kero- 
sene emulsion, applying at frequent intervals 
and, after an hour or two, wash off the spray. 



318 YARD AND GARDEN 

Also use fir-tree oil which is safer in the hands 
of the amateur. 

Oyster-shell Scale — Resembles oyster shell 
in shape. Attacks willows, lilacs, ash, apples, 
etc. Same remedies as those prescribed for 
San Jose scale. 

Red-spider — Small insects difficult to detect 





San Jose Scale Oyster Shell Scale 

before serious damage has been done and 
foliage begins to blanch. Spray with clear 
water applied with some force, or sulphur. 
Kerosene emulsion is also effective. The mites 
do not live in a damp atmosphere. 

Rose Chafer or Bug — Brown beetle, also 
known as rose-beetle, eating flowers, and ap- 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 319 

IDearing in May and June. Easiest removed l)y 
hand picking. Spray with arsenate of lead. 
Hot water at a temperature of 125° Fahren- 
heit is also effective. 

Rose-leaf Hopper — A small whitish-green 
bug, quickly flying or jumping whenever the 
bushes are jarred. Appears in July. Sucks 
the foliage. Spray with kerosene emulsion, 
whale-oil soap or tobacco. Pyrethrum powder 
blown on the leaves when damp is another 
remedy. 

Rose Scale — A white scale incrusting the 
canes. Appears all the year. Spray with 
kerosene emulsion in latter part of May and 
remove badly infested canes. 

Rose Slug — ^A slug-like larva that devours 
the surface of the leaves, appears in June, July 
and August. Spray with ammoniacal copper 
carbonate once every eight or ten days. 

San Jose Scale — Scale insect spreading rap- 
idly where it gains a foothold. Circular, one- 
sixteenth of an inch in diameter. Kerosene 
emulsion, whale-oil soap and lime-sulphur wash 
(the last in winter only). 

Scurfy Scale — While common and widely dis- 
tributed, this scale has seldom l)ecome numer- 
ous enough to cause any material damage. 



320 



YARD AND GARDEN 



Under favorable conditions it may become de- 
structive, and wherever it seems to be multi- 
plying it would be advisable to use tlie same 
measures recommended for the San Jose scale. 
Snails — Troublesome usually only in green- 
houses. Trap them with pieces of turnip ; dust 
lime about the plants. 







Fall Web-Worni 



tSeuify Scale 



Tussock Moth — This troublesome insect is 
usually periodical in its attacks on trees. The 
moth winters in the egg state, and early in the 
summer the young larvae hatch and at once 
crawl to the foliage and begin to feed. The 
eggs are laid by the female moth on the old co- 
coons, and as these cocoons are frequently sit- 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 321 

uated on houses and other o1)jeets away from 
the trees the young can be kept from the foliage 
by banding the trees with some sticky prepara- 
tion which will keep them from crawling up 
the trunk. In the winter the cocoons bearing 
egg masses should be collected and burned so 
as to destroy all the young that are present. 
A favorite place for the situation of cocoons 
is under the overlapping weather-boards on the 
sides of houses. In summer, after the cater- 
pillars make their appearance, they can be de- 
stroyed by spraying the trees with Paris green 
solution. [Douglass.] 

Verbena Mite — See Mite. 

Willoiv-ivorm — Long, black larva feeding on 
leaves of willow, poplar and elm. Arsenite 
sprays are remedies. 

INSECTICIDES 

The following mixtures are referred to in the 
list of insects : 

Arsenate of Lead — Four ounces to five gal- 
lons of water. This insecticide can be used 
with comparative safety on plants of delicate 
foliage. 

Paris Green — To ten gallons of water add 
one ounce of Paris green and two ounces of 



322 YARD AND GARDEN 

freshly slaked stone lime. Keep well mixed 
while applying the spray. 

London Purple — Use in same manner as 
Paris green. 

Kerosene Emulsion — Dissolve one-half pound 
of soap in one gallon of boiling water. Add 
two gallons of kerosene and agitate or churn 
violently for five or ten minutes. Dilute from 
four to fifteen times before applying with the 
spray. 

Lime-supliur — This should be combined as 
follows : 

Lime 50, 5, or 1 pounds 

Sulphur 50, 5, or 1 pounds 

Salt 50, 5, or 1 pounds 

Water 150, 15, or 3 gallons 

Add enough water to the lime to slake it thor- 
oughly and immediately add the sulphur. Boil 
for an hour or so with only water enough to 
keep the mass liquid until the solution becomes 
a deep amber color. Have the salt dissolved 
in water and add it to the boiling mass. After 
it has all been mixed together boil for at least 
an hour and then add water enough to make up 
the one hundred and fifty gallons or the lesser 
quantities, and spray it as soon as possible. It 
is more efficient when used warm and some of 
the failures with this wash are undoubtedly due 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 323 

to the use of stale solutions and careless boil- 
ing. [Douglass.] 

Pyrethrum — Use dry, as a powder, or in sol- 
ution in water, 1 ounce to 3 gallons. 

Sulpliur — Flowers of sulphur may be ap- 
plied in connection with other sprays or used 
in dry form. When used in the former way, 
add from one to two pounds to every fifty gal- 
lons of spray. It may be applied also at the 
rate of one ounce to one gallon of water. 

Tobacco — Steep stems or leaves in hot water 
in covered vessel and dilute three to five times 
when applying. The tobacco extracts are the 
best. 

Whale-oil Soap — Dissolve two pounds in one 
gallon hot water and dilute two to five times 
before spraying. 

PLANT DISEASES 

The garden, even when the plantation is 
small, will very likely be affected sooner or 
later by some plant-disease. Soil conditions or 
the introduction of affected stock may account 
for the appearance of disease, but, to whatever 
source it may owe its origin, immediate treat- 
ment is necessary. There is no better fungi- 
cide than the Bordeaux mixture, but as it 



324 Will) AND GARDEN 

discolors foliage, flowers and fruit, on all orna- 
mental plants where discoloration would be ob- 
jectionable, ammoniacal carbonate of copper 
should be employed. The following are the 
chief diseases : 

Anthracnose — Scab-like spots of grayish 
brown color appearing on bases of leaves of 
carnations. Attacks also beans, watermelon, 
etc. Apply copper sprays, Bordeaux or sul- 
phur and water. 

Chrysanthemum Leaf -spot — Dark brown 
spots first appear on leaves and increase in 
size until the leaf withers. Remove all dis- 
eased leaves and spray with ammoniacal car- 
bonate of copper or Bordeaux. 

Bamping-off — This is a term used by florists 
to describe the decay of seedlings or cuttings 
at a point near the surface of the soil in the 
seed flat or pot or sand bed. It is believed 
to be the result of fungi. Permitting fresh air 
to enter by careful ventilation and preventing 
crowding of the plantlets, dusting the plants 
with sulphur and sifting hot clean sand on the 
surface of the soil are the preventives and rem- 
edies. 

Hollyhock Rust — Attacks hollyhocks and 
allied plants, appearing on the leaves in the 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 325 




Work of the Catalpa Sphinx Moth 



326 YARD AND GARDEN 

form of light l)i'own patclies. Destroy affected 
plants and apply Bordeaux liberally. 

Leaf-hliglit — ^Tliis attacks and destroys only 
portions of leaves, whereas the leaf-rust pro- 
duces masses of spores on all the surface of 
the leaves. Sometimes called "leaf-spot.'' 
Attacks roses, maples, cherries, sycamores, etc. 
Same remedy provided for leaf-rust. 

Leaf-rust — Asters are mainly the victims of 
this disease. The leaves are discolored by 
orange-colored spots, usually underneath, and 
the foliage shrivels. Spray with Bordeaux or 
ammoniacal carbonate of copper. 

Maple Leaf-spot — Silver, red and striped 
maples are victims of this disease. The leaves 
become spotted and ugly and the vigor of the 
tree is impaired. Burn fallen leaves and when 
the foliage is one-half expanded in spring begin 
to spray with Bordeaux, and repeat at fre- 
quent intervals until the disease is checked. 

Mildew — ^White patches appearing on leaves 
or other parts. The most destructive are 
downy mildew of the lilac, rose mildew and 
powdery mildew of the hawthorn, cherry and 
plum. Spray with Bordeaux or ammoniacal 
carbonate of copper. Dust on sulphur. 

Pansy Rust — Brown or dark spots appear 



INSECTS AND DISEASES 327 

on the leaves. Apply ammoniacal carbonate of 
copper or Bordeaux. 

Rose Leaf-hlight (black spots) — Makes its 
appearance first in the form of small black 
spots on the full-grown leaves but rapidly 
spreads over the entire surface. Spray with 
Bordeaux or ammoniacal carbonate of copper, 
applied before leaves unfold. 

Rust — Attacks carnations producing gray 
blisters on the leaves, the spots eventually 
bursting. Spray with Bordeaux. 

Verbena Rust — Whitish, mildew-like disease 
attacking the leaves and usually killing the 
plants. Spray with sulphide of potassium 
every four or five days. 

FUNGICIDES 

Sulphate of Potassium — Use at the rate of 
one-fourth to one ounce in a gallon of water. 

Ammoniacal Carbonate of Copper — Dissolve 
one ounce of copper carbonate in one-half pint 
of ammonia diluted with two quarts of water, 
and dilute to ten gallons of water. 

Bordeaux Mixture — In a wooden or earthen 
vessel containing four to six gallons of water 
dissolve six pounds of copper sulphate by sus- 
pending it in a bag made of coarse cloth. When 



328 YAKD AND GARDEN 

dissolved, dilute by adding enough water to 
make twenty-five gallons. Slake four pounds 
of lime — ^making sure it is not ' ' patent ' ' lime — 
by covering with water and, when solution has 
^'cooled," add enough water to make twenty- 
five gallons. Mix by pouring the two together. 
Sulphur — Procure ^'flowers of sulphur." 
Use either in dry state or at the rate of one 
ounce in five gallons of water. 



CHAPTER XVI 

THE INDOOR WINTER WINDOW GARDEN 

When autumn frost puts an end to operations 
in the outdoor garden, it need not by any means 
deter the enthusiastic gardener from the pur- 
suit and pleasure of his summer avocation. If 
there is a window — even a sunless window 
where only daylight penetrates — establish an 
indoor winter garden. In seasons gone by, per- 
haps the gardener has made the experiment 
and only failure has resulted, but let him not be 
discouraged on that account; let the failure 
be a lesson, not an obstacle, borrow encourage- 
ment from disaster and refuse to 1)e dismayed 
by failure. For the fault, in nine cases out of 
ten, was the gardener's. The plants selected 
were not suitable for the exposure afforded by 
the indoor garden, or else — as is often the case 
— too late a beginning was made. Bull)s will 
bloom, vines grow, plants produce their flowers 
and foliage, but if these results are to be ob- 
tained, the gardener must choose wisely and 
early and tend his garden faithfully. 
329 



330 YAED AND GARDEN 




Paris Daisies {Clinjsautltcmum frutescens) 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 331 

AN EARLY BEGINNING ADVISABLE 

It is essential for liim to select carefully, for 
plants differ radically in the treatment they re- 
quire. A plant that requires sun will not thrive 
without sun; a plant that requires for its de- 
velopment a cold-house temperature will not 
prosper in the close, hot, dry atmosphere of a 
living-room. And it is essential for him to 
make an early heginning because plants ma- 
tured under the favorable conditions of hot- 
house cultivation suffer a fatal check as a rule 
when transferred from their congenial sur- 
roundings to the less advantageous environment 
of a residence window. Frequently, they fail 
utterly to revive, bear no flowers, and assume 
a ragged, sickly appearance that robs them of 
all decorative value. 

On the contrary, if the window-gardener 
makes an early selection of plants, he obtains 
young stock — which is cheaper — and, if this 
suffers from the shock of transfer, usually it 
will recover all of its original strength, accus- 
tom itself to its new quarters and reward the 
purchaser for his forethought with luxuriant 
foliage and well-developed bloom. 



332 YAKD AND GAKDEN 

LOCATION OF THE WINTER GARDEN 

Begin the indoor garden-making with the se- 
lection of the window where the plants are to 
be grown. If it is a window with a south- 
eastern outlook, the best has been chosen ; after 
this, a window with a south aspect is to be pre- 
ferred. But, lacking these, an eastern, west- 
ern or even northern exposure may be selected 
and, provided plants are obtained that are 
adapted to the conditions prevailing, the last 
may be made as effective in its way as the sun- 
niest window in the southeastern corner of the 
house. Set in place the shelves, brackets and 
stands upon which the pots are to rest, secure 
them firmly and provide a dish or pan to be 
filled with water and kept on stove, radiator, or 
register to maintain a fair degree of atmos- 
pheric moisture. Procure flower pots of vari- 
ous sizes — from three inches to eight — avoid- 
ing the glazed, decorative ware, and a water 
can and a supply of soil. 

THE SOIL FOR WINDOW GARDENS 

The amateur is likely to find this last his 
most perplexing problem. What soil, he most 
frequently inquires, shall be used for this plant? 



THE WINDOAV GARDEN 



333 



what for that? in what compost shall bulbous 
l^lauts be grown and in what mixture will ferns 
thrive? If he undertakes an investigation for 
himself, it is likely that he will emerge from the 
study all the more perplexed. The reason is 
that there is a great deal of rubbish talked about 
soils. If heed were paid to the lucubrations 





Eoot Growth of Narcissus 



Azalea liulica in Bloom 



of many writers on floral topics, it might be sur- 
mised that a special soil is required for every 
plant. But, not only is this misleading and in- 
correct, but the plain fact is that four-fifths of 
the plants cultivated under glass, whether in 
a greenhouse or in a window garden, would 
thrive very well in one and the same compost. 



334 YARD AND GARDEN 

The point to be remembered is tliat the soil used 
should be of good quality rather than assem- 
bled in elaborate mixtures. Lay aside doubt 
on the subject and obtain the following com- 
posts : 

1. Fibrous loam, three parts 
Leaf mold, one part 
Well-decayed manure, one part 
Clean, sharp sand, one-sixth part 

2. Fibrous loam, one part 
Peat, two parts 

Leaf mold, two parts 
Sand, one-fourth part 

These two composts might be designated 
"general utility" mixtures. The first will pro- 
vide a healthful rooting soil for most flowering 
plants that can be grown by the amateur in an 
ordinary window garden and the second will 
provide a suitable mixture for ferns. It is well 
to lay the foundation carefully by obtaining 
good loam. Usually it is best and cheapest to 
buy this of the nearest florist. He makes it — 
and the amateur may do likewise if he has the 
space, the time and the desire — by stacking 
turfs, grass side down, in heaps, interspersing 
old manure between the layers of sod, and per- 
mitting the whole to remain at least six months 
exposed to the weather. 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 335 

POTTING 

Potting is likely to prove another stumbling 
block in the way of success. But if the be- 
ginner will bear in mind the following simple 
rules, he will not go astray : 

New pots must be soaked in water two or 
three hours before using and old pots must be 
thoroughly cleaned before being refilled. 

Provide ample drainage. Place over the hole 
in the bottom of the pot a piece of l)roken crock, 
hollow side downward and, upon this, overlap- 
ping, place a layer of smaller pieces. The 
larger and deeper the pot the more liberal 
should be the quantity of drainage material — 
a layer of drainage material one inch deep is 
not too much in an eight-inch pot to insure the 
health of the plant. 

Pot all plants firmly — if the soil is loose, 
proper watering is impossible. 

Repot plants when the mass of roots sur- 
rounds the ball of earth. Ascertain the root 
condition by gently emptying the pot of its con- 
tents. In repotting, shift to a pot two sizes 
larger — that is, for instance, from a five-inch 
pot to a seven-inch. A cramped plant will not 
show its full beautv of foliasre and bloom. 



336 



YAED AND GARDEN 



WATERING 

It would be a material help to the amateur^ — 
and to the professional gardener, too- — if it were 
possible to lay down fixed rnles for watering. 
But, unfortunately, there are no such things 
as established laws governing the supply of 




Omamental-Foliaged Begonia [Bajonia Ear) 



moisture. Water when the plants require it — 
this is the only rule that can be cited. And 
plants require water when the soil is dry enough 
to become slightly powdery when rubbed be- 
tween the thumb and finger. If, for any 
reason, water is withheld longer, until, for in- 
stance, the soil becomes so dry as to crack, set 



THE WINDOW GARDEN ;537 

the plant, pot and all, in a vessel of water 
and let it remain there until air bubbles cease 
to rise. 

The window-gardener who comes through a 
whole winter without finding his plants attacked 
by some insect pest is lucky, indeed. A ma- 
jority will find, probably, that their plants are 
more or less threatened by the aphis (green- 
fly), mealy-bug, red-spider, scale or thrips. 
Where they come from is a matter of small 
moment; the important fact is that they are 
there and must be removed. If the amateur 
will employ the methods of extermination de- 
tailed in the chapter on insect pests, he will 
rid his garden of them as soon as they put in 
an appearance. 

FERTILIZING 

The beginner, if he bears the various rules 
in mind, should not find success difficult to at- 
tain. There may be times, however, when his 
plants seem sluggish and appeal for extra food. 
But be sure that fertilizer is required before 
it is applied. Then, in determining the ferti- 
lizer to use, avoid patent preparations. Some 
of them are good and some are absolutely 
worthless and the amateur is as likely to obtain 



338 



YARD AND GARDEN 



the latter as the former. The best way is to 
prepare a liquid manure, using, if obtainable, 
one-half pound of dried sheep manure to two 
and one-half gallons of water, or a quarter 
bushel of decayed cow manure to twelve gallons 
of water. 




i-'ulia:;L' i'laiil.s ,Suilable for a Window Garden 



A chemical fertilizer may be made of the 
following ingredients : — 

Nitrate of soda, one and one-half ounces. 
Phosphate of soda, one-half ounce. 
Sulphate of potash, one ounce. 

Mix thoroughly and pulverize and, whenever 
required, dissolve one heaping tablespoonful of 
the mixture in a gallon of hot water. When the 
water has cooled, apply a teacupful of the so- 
lution to a six-inch pot — less or more according 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 339 

to the size of the pot. Soot from soft coal also 
makes a good fertilizer. Mix at the rate of 
one-half pint to ten gallons of water. 

All these suggestions are practical if not al- 
luring and, if we are to have success with an 
indoor window garden, we must give considera- 
tion to them as well as to the more esthetic qual- 
ities which the plants themselves supply. The 
latter depend upon the former, for no sickly 
plant can be beautiful. However, we are done 
with them and can turn now to a discussion of 
what to raise in the indoor garden and how to 
raise it. 

SELECTION OF PLANTS 

Begin with bulbs. These bloom most suc- 
cessfully for the amateur and, by potting them 
in quantity and selecting different varieties, 
a succession of bloom may be maintained in the 
indoor garden from Christmas to early spring. 
Narcissi, tulips, hyacinths, crocus, scilla, free- 
sias — these and many others may be had in 
bloom to make every week gay with their colors 
and sweet with their fragrance from mid-De- 
cember to late March. 

Bulbs should be potted early in the autumn. 
All require practically the same treatment as 



340 YARD AND GARDEN 

far as the amateur is concerned. Immediately 
after the potting process has been completed, 
set the pots in a dark corner of the cellar where 
the temperature will not rise above forty-five 
degrees. Lacking such a place, bury the pots 
in the ground outdoors, allowing six inches of 
soil or sawdust to rest on top of the pots. On 
this surface scatter litter, leaves, or straw to 
prevent freezing, which, while it would do no 
harm to the bulbs, would make their resurrec- 
tion somewhat difficult when the time is at hand 
for bringing the pots into the house. 

NARCISSI 

With a half-dozen varieties of Narcissus, 
potted early in September, or even in August, 
a succession may be maintained which will in- 
sure the gardener attractive bloom throughout 
the greater part of the winter. Use five- or six- 
inch i3ots and plant from three to five bulbs in 
each pot. One narcissus of the trumpet variety 
may be successfully flowered in a four-inch pot, 
but to bring it to perfection requires more time 
and attention than the flowering of three or 
four of the same variety in a six-inch pot. Pro- 
vide ample drainage and when the bulbs are 
planted, water carefully and, finally, set them 



THE WINDOW GAEDEN 341 




Paper \Yhite Narcissus 



342 YARD AND GARDEN 

either in the cellar or bury them in the ground. 
Here they should remain until they have formed 
a heavy system of roots and a top growth of 
three or four inches. At this stage they may 
be brought to the light, but not too suddenly, 
and submitted to a warmer temperature. 
Water carefully, using a little weak manure or 
commercial fertilizer in solution once a week. 
To maintain the succession, bring the pots to 
the light at intervals of a week apart. 

For flowers in December and January, ob- 
tain the Paper White, Golden Spur, Henry Irv- 
ing, Victoria, Princeps, Sir Watkin, Tortuosus 
and the double Van Sion ; for bloom in January 
and February, plant the Emperor, Empress, 
Horsefieldi, Albicans and Stella superba, and 
for bloom in February and March depend on the 
Glory of Leiden, Mme. Plemp, Mrs. Camm, 
Mme. de Graaff, Barrii conspicuus, poeticus or- 
natus and orange and sulphur Phoenix. The 
rules to bear in mind are : 

1. Early potting. 

2. Allow sufficient time for rooting — twelve 
weeks for the hardy varieties and at least six 
weeks for the tender sorts. 

3. Careful watering when the buds are de- 
veloping. 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 343 

HYACINTHS 

Very few window-gardeners would care to be 
without the hyacinth. Its culture is compara- 
tively simple and, for the attention it demands, 
its fragrant blossom is more than ample re- 
ward. Select sound bulbs, solid and without 
offsets or protuberances and possessing only 
one crown. Apply the same rules to their se- 
lection as would be applied in choosing a fine 
onion and obtain the bulbs as early in the au- 
tumn as possible. Pot up at once — especially 
the Roman hyacinths— providing plenty of 
drainage and then treat the bulbs as advised 
for narcissi. Use five-inch pots, and plant 
one bulb to a pot, leaving at least a fifth of 
the bulb showing above the surface of the 
soil. 

Some good single hyacinths for blooming in 
pots are: 

Red, rose and pink: Robert Steiger, Gen- 
eral Pelissier, Gertrude, Gigantea, Roi des 
Beiges and Lord Macaulay. 

White and blush white: La Grandesse, Gran- 
deur a Mer\^eille, Mont Blanc, Paix de I'Europe 
and Baroness van Thuyll. 

Dark and light blue: Baron van Thuyll, 



344 YARD AND GARDEN 

Charles Dickens, Czar Peter, King of the Blues, 
Leonidas and Regulus. 

Roman hyacinths produce small single white, 
pink or blue flowers. They bloom profusely, 
each bulb throwing from three to six spikes, are 
cheap and are easiest of all the hyacinths to 
cultivate in the amateur's hands. The white 
variety is the earliest and, everything con- 
sidered, the most satisfactory and beautiful. 
Plant four or five bulbs in a five-inch pot, al- 
lowing the crowns to remain uncovered. They 
can be had without difficulty for Christmas 
bloom. 

The Dutch hyacinths may also be brought 
to flower in water. Glass vases, especially de- 
signed for the purpose, are to be had from deal- 
ers in seeds and bulbs. Milk bottles, however, 
may be substituted and the result will be quite 
as satisfactory. The vessel should be filled 
with water until the water just reaches the base 
of the bulb when it has been set in position in 
the cup of the vase or in the mouth of the bottle. 
Drop a lump or two of charcoal in the water to 
keep it sweet, set the vessels away in a dark 
closet or in the cellar where the}^ are to remain 
until heavy growths of roots form. As the 
water evaporates, add to it from time to time. 



THE WINDOW GAKDEN 345 




346 lYAED AND GARDEN 

TULIPS 

Tulips differ very little in point of culture 
from hyacinths. Instead of planting only one 
bulb to a four- or five-inch pot, however, from 
three to six may be set and the bulbs may be 
planted more deeply — but with never more than 
half an inch of soil above them. Those tulips 
earliest to bloom are included in the following 
list: 

Singles : Due Van Thol in varieties of blush, 
scarlet, rose, yellow and white ; Artus, red ; Ca- 
nary Bird, yellow; Royal Standard, crimson 
and white; Vermilion Brilliant, scarlet; Keiz- 
erkroon, red and gold, and Pottebakker in va- 
rieties of white, yellow and scarlet. 

Doubles: Golden King, yellow; Gloria So- 
ils, scarlet and yellow; La Candeur, white, and 
Imperator Rubrorum, brilliant scarlet. 

OTHER BULBS 

Bulbs of the Easter lily {Lilium Harrisii) 
may be grown successfully when afforded the 
same treatment as narcissi, hyacinths and tu- 
lips, but a higher temperature than these lat- 
ter require suit it best when it is making root 
growth. It is not by any means certain to 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 3J:7 

flower for the amateur and should not be at- 
tempted until exjoerience has l^een gained. 

Freesias may be potted, six or seven in a 
five-inch pot, and without the preliminary 




Freesias in bloom 

plunging or season in the cellar, may be started 
into growth in light at once. 

The crocus and snowdrop and other bulbs 
of similar size may be planted in pots and 
treated like hyacinths. Most of them are so 



348 YARD AND GAEDEN 

small that a dozen can be planted in a six-inch 
pot. They require a longer period for the de- 
velopment of their flowers than hyacinths and 
tulips and, on this account, should be depended 
on for later bloom. 

Chinese sacred lilies are favorite bulbs for 
window gardens. They bear white and yellow 
flowers, six or seven to a stem and an inch and 
a half in diameter. The popular method of cul- 
tivation is in bowls of water, the bowls being 
four or ^\e inches deep and the bulbs set in 
pebbles and weighted down by pebl)les. The 
water should never reach more than half-way 
up the sides of the bulbs. Set the dish in a dark 
closet for a week or fortnight to encourage root 
growth. Often they can be had in bloom in 
six weeks. 

FLOWERING AND FOLIAGE PLANTS 

The bulbs, of course, do not exhaust by any 
means the plants that may be grown in the in- 
door winter garden. Most of the plants so 
grown belong to the groups which florists cul- 
tivate in glass houses where the temperature 
is either ^^cool" or "medium." The former 
demands a night temperature of fifty degrees 
and the latter of sixty degrees. A variation 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 349 




350 



YARD AND GARDEN 



of five degrees between these temperatures 
will cause no injurious effects and a regular 
increase in daytime of ten or fifteen degrees 
is considered proper — even higher when the day 
is bright and sunny. 

In selecting plants for the indoor garden, the 
amateur should first learn what temperature 




Geraniums in Bloom Indoors in Mid-Winter 



his garden registers at night. If it falls to 
fifty degrees (cool house temperature) he 
should select from the following list : 

Climbing plants : Senecio or parlor ivy, Eng- 
lish ivy, lygodium or '' climbing fern'' and mau- 
raudia. 

Flow^ering plants : Azaleas, chrysanthemums, 



THE WINDOW GAKDEN 351 

geraniums, Chinese primroses, Paris daisies or 
iMarguerites, camellias, cinerarias, violets, cy- 
clamens, ardisias, carnations and sweet alyssum. 

Foliage plants: Palms, auracaria, eunony- 
mus, aucuba and pandanus. 

If the temperature is sixty degrees at night, 
the following list may be used: 

Climbing plants : Asparagus in variety, Smi- 
lax, Cohoea scandens, Madeira vine, Senecio 
mikanioides, Japanese hop and those also in- 
cluded in the list for the ^'cool" temperature. 

Flowering plants: Fuchsia, Mahernia odor- 
ata, lobelia, mesembryanthemum, abutilons, 
browallias, begonias, petunias, bouvardias, he- 
liotropes, Chinese hibiscus, swainsonia, gerani- 
ums, cupheas and Richardias. 

Foliage plants: Dracaena in variety, palms, 
Farfugium grande, Cycas revohita, ferns, arau- 
caria, pandanus, Ficus elastica, Grevillea ro- 
hiista, Pilea arhorea, vincas, tradescantia, 
Kenilworth ivy, Festuca glauca and Selagin- 
ella denticidata, 

PLANTS FOR SHADED WINDOWS 
But, even with these lists l)efore him, the 
amateur can not make a selection until he pays 
heed to the amount of sunlight admitted through 



352 YARD AND GARDEN 

the window where his garden is to be estab- 
lished. The sunny selection is, of course, the 
best; here the flowering plants will prosper 
and bloom. Unfortunately, however, windows 
available for the purpose do not always face 
the south and occasionally neighboring build- 
ings cast a deep shadow over the only exposure 
the gardener can command. He must select 
plants, therefore, which will thrive in half shade 
or whole shade. 

In such situations, provided there be good 
light if no direct sunshine, abutilons will do 
well and healthy plants of these are scarcely 
ever without bloom. Begonias also thrive and, 
in their various forms, present so many at- 
tractions that a garden composed of these alone 
would be worth while. Two good varieties are 
the Bismarck and ricinifolia. Primulas do 
best in a partly shaded window and a dozen 
pots of the obconica hybrids would make a 
most interesting display. Fuchsias, swainsonia, 
ferns, palms and, in fact, nearly all foliage 
plants with the exception of the highly colored 
varieties do well in semi-shaded or sunless win- 
dows. 

Of the foliage division, no more graceful 
plants are to l)e found than the palms. They 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 353 




Tender Hydrangea {Hydranc/ea hortoisis, var. Otaksa) 



354 YARD AND GARDEN 

may l)e grown in a living- or drawing-room witli 
more satisfaction than many other plants of 
value for their foliage alone. They are, how- 
ever, slow-growing and, on this account, should 
never be over-potted. Many amateurs invite 
disaster to their palms by failing to observe 




Lace Fern ( Cheilanthes gracilUma ) 

this fact. Repotting is unnecessary until the 
mass of roots fills the soil and even then the 
shift should be to a pot only one size larger. 
The best varieties for home culture are the 
Arecas, Kentias and Latanias. 

The pandanus, or '^ screw pine," is also well 
adapted to house culture and is remarkably 
ornamental. It prospers even when removed 



THE WINDOW GARDEN 



355 




356 YARD AND GAEDEN 

from the window and set in a shaded corner of 
the room. The general cultural treatment it 
requires is similar to that prescribed for the 
palms. Both thrive best in a moist soil but 
the pots should be liberally provided with drain- 
age for both are injured when water stands 
at their roots. 

FERNS FOR INDOOR GARDENS 

The best ferns for pot culture indoors in win- 
ter are: 

Adiantum cuneatum (maidenhair fern) 

Asplenium platyneiiron (ebony spleenwort) 

Asplenium Tricliomanes (maidenhair spleenwort) 

Cyrtomium falcatum (holly fern) 

Lygodium Japonicum (climbing fern) 

Nephrolepis exaltata, var. Bostoniensis (Boston fern) 

Nephrolepis exaltata, var. Scottii (Scott fern) 

Nephrolepis exaltata, var. Piersonii (Pierson fern) 

Nephrolepis cordata, var. compaeta (kidney or sword fern) 

In the culture of ferns indoors, clean foliage 
is a first requisite. The fronds should be 
showered frequently; if no other way is con- 
venient, remove them to bath-tub or sink and 
there spray them thoroughly. The water 
should be of the same temperature as the room 
in which they are grown. Scale is a trouble- 
some pest and is best overcome by scraping or 
rubbing it off with a brush or rag dipped in 
whale-oil soap-suds or kerosene emulsion. 
G-reen aphis is killed by nicotine. 



CHAPTER XVII 

A CHAPTER OF SPECIALTIES 

As a rule, amateurs in gardening no sooner 
make a beginning in planting before they de- 
cide that a roseless garden is no garden at all. 
They can not be greatly blamed for rushing to 
this conclusion, still they might bear in mind 
the fact that some of the most effective orna- 
mental gardening effects of which this country 
affords examples have been attained without 
the use of a single rose-bush. 

ROSE CULTURE 

If, however, the beginner must have roses — 
and they are not without ornamental value in 
spite of all that has been said of them to the 
contrary — let him plant them in a situation that 
is somewhat sheltered from the biting winds 
of winter, yet open to the sun in summer, free 
from roots of trees and unshaded by overhang- 
ing branches. If no situation offers that is 
without shade, select roses of dark-red color — 
357 



358 YARD AND GARDEN 

shade does them the least injury. Avoid low 
ground and if a deep loam is not already on 
the site chosen, provide it and make sure that 
it is earth which has never before been used 
for rose growing. Remember that roses dis- 
dain wet ground and insist upon having dry 
feet ; make sure accordingly that the site is well 
drained. 

Roses, on the whole, do best when planted in 
the spring. The hybrid perpetual s and the Ru- 
gosas may be planted in the autumn with com- 
parative safety, but even these would do 
better if set out in the spring, as soon as the 
ground can be worked. Avoid exposure of the 
roots of the plants to sun or wind while plant- 
ing, and select, if possible, a dry, but cloudy 
day. 

There is much difference of opinion as to the 
relative value of roses on their own roots or 
on Manetti or brier roots. By those who favor 
the latter, it is admitted that many of the sum- 
mer-growing varieties do best on their own 
roots and, whenever this is the case, it is best 
to select stock which is so grown. In any 
event, obtain stock that is grown on brier roots 
rather than upon the roots of the Manetti. It 
is easy to detect a sucker should one arise from 



SPECIALTIES 



359 




Ivosc — l^ciieiiil Jacqueminot 



360 YARD AND GARDEN 

the wild stock, for the brier leaf has several 
leaflets instead of five, which the garden roses 
possess. When suckers develop — which is not 
often if the planting has been carefully done — 
remove them at once at the point of juncture 
with the root. If this can not be done without 
great disturbance to the plant, remove the 
growth at the lowest point possible. 

Roses should be protected by a mulch in win- 
ter and by a lighter mulch in summer. For 
the latter, use well-rotted cow manure, with the 
double object in view of enriching the soil and 
affording protection from the sun. The protec- 
tion, however, should be first considered and 
the surplus of the mulch employed for this pur- 
pose should be removed in the autumn before 
the winter covering is applied. It is safest to 
protect all roses in winter, but if any are to be 
neglected, let them be the Rugosas, Hybrid Per- 
petuals and Wichuraianas. For the rest — 
and for these wherever possible — apply a three- 
inch covering of rough, but old manure. In the 
more Northern sections, a heavier protection is 
required and this is not sufficient even where 
the winters are not very severe for the tender 
teas. These should be protected by setting 
bottomless and topless boxes over the jDlants, 



SPECIALTIES 361 

or setting around them chicken-wire frames, 
and filling the enclosures with leaves or straw. 
The best fertilizers for roses are decayed 
cow manure, hog, sheep or chicken manures 
sparingly applied an-d old horse manure. Com- 
mercial fertilizers may be used either alone or 
to supplement the natural manures. Ground 
bone is the best, but nitrate of soda, applied at 
the rate of about a teaspoouful to a plant, is 
useful as a stimulant early in the season. It 
should be followed, however, by more substan- 
tial fertilizers later on. The Reverend A. Fos- 
ter-Melliar, an expert rose-grower and writer 
on the subject, recommends the following espe- 
cially prepared fertilizer: 

Superphosphate of lime 12 parts 

Nitrate of potash 10 parts 

Sulphate of magnesia 2 parts 

Sulphate of lime 8 parts 

Sulphate of iron 1 part 

His advice is to apply this mixture in March 
at the rate of one-quarter pound to each square 
yard. 

Eoses should be pruned in early March. It 
is an error to prune them, as some persons do, 
in the autumn. Use the shears on the hardy 
roses, both the climbers and the buslies, by 
March fifteenth if the season is of average 



362 YARD AND GARDEN 

weather. Prune the tender varieties in April, 
completing the process — in an average season 
— by the middle of the month. In sections 
where the winters are longer, however, the 
operation should be postponed until it is entirely 
safe to remove the winter mulch. Cut out all 
dead wood aiid weak shoots, the latter unspar- 
ingly, but do not follow blindly the advice to 
cut liberally where the wood is healthy, strong 
and vigorous. Too severe pruning is often 
as injurious as too little. If large blooms are 
wanted, the pruning should be more severe 
than where mass effects are desired. Cut the 
canes off an inch above an outside bud. The 
cane which follows will then grow outward and 
not inward as it would do were an inside bud se- 
lected and the cut made above it. This sugges- 
tion will i3rove of value to those who have had 
difficulty in training climbers successfully. 

The following varieties, made up from Doctor 
Robert Huey's excellent list, will be found the 
most satisfactory: 

HARDY PERPETUALS 

White Baroness, white Paul Neyron, pink 

Frau Karl Driischki, white Caroline d'Arden, pink 

Mabel JNIorrison, white Duke of Edinburgh, crimson 

Margaret Dickson, white Captain Hayward, crimson 

Baroness Rothschild, pink General Jacqueminot, crimson 

Her Majesty, pink Prince Arthur, crimson 



SPECIALTIES 363 

TKELUS KOSES 

Gardenia Dorothy Perkins 

Reine Marie Henriette Crimson Rambler 

Rosea Setigera Paul's Carmine Pillar 

Queen Alexandra 

IIYBKID TEAS 

Antoine Rivoire Killarney 

Alice Grahame Liberty 

Caroline Testout Mme. Abel Chatenay 

Clara Watson M. Bunel 

Ellen Wilmot Souv. de President Carnot 

Mr. Leonard Barron, in his numerous arti- 
cles, has performed a great service for the rose- 
grower who must raise his flowers in the midst 
of uncongenial surroundings in a city. For 
tlie gardener who has to contend with smoke 
from soft coal and even with unsatisfactory 
conditions of sun, his list, which follows, is ex- 
cellent : 

HYBRID PERPETUALS 

Baron de Bonstetten, very dark red 

Charles Dickens, rose color, large 

Dr. Andry, dark bright red 

Dupuy Jamain, brilliant cerise 

General Jacqueminot, dark bright red 

Ulrich Brunner, cherry red 

John Hopper, lilac-rose with crimson center 

La France, silvery pink 

Mme. Gabriel Luizet, pink 

Magna Charta, bright pink, suffused carmine 

Paul Neyron, pink — the largest of all roses 

BOURBONS 

Boule de Neige, white 

Mme. S. Cochet, rose, edged white 

Mme, I. Pereire, rosy carmine 

Queen of Bedders, deep bright c'-im^nn 



364 YAED AND GARDEN 

TEAS a:>^d noisettes 
Aimee Vibert (N.), white, clusters 
Reine Marie Henriette ( T. ) , cherry red 
Gloire de Dijon (T.), yellow 
Homer (T.), blush rose and salmon, variable 

CLIMBERS 

Crimson Rambler, crimson 

R. Wichuraiana, .white, single 

Also selections of the Rambler-Wichuraiana hybrids 

Where rose>s are wanted only for shrubberies, 
or where the flowers are of secondary impor- 
tance, the following will be found to suit the 
purpose admirably : 

Penzance briers Rosa blanda 

Rosa rugosa, Rosa lueida 

Rosa rubiginosa Rosa nitida 

HARDY FERNS 

Many ferns, all hardy, demand so little in the 
way of special soil and situation that they can 
be grown without difficulty by the beginner. 
Planted, for instance, between the foundation 
walls of a house and the channel worn by water 
dripping from overhanging eaves, they make a 
pleasing border, thriving where nothing else 
would succeed half so well. Here they have 
what they most enjoy — a cool, damp soil and 
shade. It must not ])e understood from this, 
however, that ferns will continue vigorous in 
ground that is undrained. On the contrary, 



SPECIALTIES 



365 




366 



YARD AND GARDEN 



they will not do well where the water remains 
about their roots. But if they are given a damp 
atmosphere and, preferably, an eastern expo-- 
sure, the majority of the native ferns will do 
exceedingly well. 

So far as soil is concerned, while good woods 
earth is best, most of the common ferns are less 
exacting in this respect than one would im- 




Ostricli Ferns in Narrow Border 

agine. If the soil is deep and fairly rich, por- 
ous and cool, ferns may be planted without much 
fear of the results. The addition of leaf -mold 
and some rough peat would make the compost 
all the better, but, with some varieties, this is 
not necessary. 

The following list contains the ferns that are 
most easily grown and which the beginner will 
find easily established: 



SPECIALTIES 367 

Adiaiitiim pedatiini, Maiden-liair fern 

Aspleniiiin Filix-faMiiiiia, Lady foiii 

Aspleniuni platyneuron, Ebony ssploonwort 

Caniptosoiiis rliizopliylhis, Walking fern 

Cheilanthes gracillinia, Lace fern 

Dicksonia pnnctilobnla, Hay-scented or gossamer fern 

Dryopteris Goldieana, Goldie's fern 

Dryopteris marginalis, Evergreen wood fern 

Dryopteris Noveboracensis, New York fern 

Dryopteris spinulosa, Shield fern 

Lygodium palmatnni, Climbing, or Hartford fern 

Onoclea sensibilis, Sensitive fern 

Onoclea Struthiopteris, Ostrich fern 

Osmunda cinnamomea, Cinnamon fern 

Osnnmda Claytoniana, Clayton's fern 

Osmunda regalis, Royal fern 

Polypodium vulgare, Common polypody 

Polystiehum acrostichoides, Christmas fern 

Pteris aquilina, Bracken 



PEONIES 

No flower is richer in beauty than the her- 
baceous Peony and none, considering wealth of 
bloom and glorious color, is more easily raised 
by the amateur. It is one of the hardiest and 
healthiest plants in cultivation and only occa- 
sionally is it attacked by disease. Given a 
deep, rich soil in which to root, it will thrive 
for years, increasing, if undisturbed, season af- 
ter season, and producing its magnificent l)loom 
even when sadly neglected. In color, it covers 
a wide range and a large plantation of it in 
flower is unrivaled in beauty. Its foliage, 
moreover, is attractive throughout the season 
and forms a background of green against which 



368 YARD AND GARDEN 

a display of later-blooming flowers is always ef- 
fective. 

Soil for Peonies should contain no fresh ma- 
nure. All fertilizer put into the earth where 
they are to be established should be at least a 
year old and it would be better were this in- 
corporated with the soil several months before 
the roots are planted. Dig deeply — two feet is 
none too much — and work the soil until it is 
finely pulverized. Look carefully to drainage 
and, after setting out the roots, mulch thickly 
with three or four inches of coarse manure, 
spading this in before growth starts in the fol- 
lowing spring. Peonies should be planted in 
September, and if quick effects are wanted, un- 
divided clumps should be obtained. Single 
roots, however, are cheaper, and in a season or 
two, make a very satisfactory display. In or- 
dering roots, do not be insistent on the number 
of ''eyes," for often the purchaser in designat- 
ing that the roots he orders are to show no 
fewer than three ''eyes," sacrifices vigor and 
quality for quantity. 

Do not expect much bloom the first season 
after planting. Peonies take time in establish- 
ing themselves and not infrequently fail to 
bloom for two years after they are set out. Or, 



SPECIALTIES 



369 




Double Peonv 



370 YARD AND GARDEN 

if of a variety tliat more quickly accustoms it- 
self to new surroundings, they may bear bloom 
the first season, but these will never be a fair 
.sample of what the plant can do. Double Peo- 
nies, under such circumstances, may bear only 
single flowers, and this fact sometimes leads to 
disappointment on the part of the purchaser 
who fancies that the nurseryman has not dealt 
fairly by him. Before he voices his suspicion, 
it would be better were he to take into consid- 
eration the short time the plant has been in his 
garden and postpone his complaint until the 
following season when, in all likelihood, the 
flowers will be as double as they were repre- 
sented to be. 

Some Peonies, however, are not profuse 
bloomers. Constitutionally they are not and 
from such plants large quantities of bloom will 
never be obtained. It is also a fact that some 
Peonies are prolific bloomers in some sections 
of the country and in other sections l)loom very 
little. It is impossible, of course, to say with 
any degree of certainty what varieties perform 
in this unsatisfactory manner, but Charle- 
magne, for instance, blooms strongly in Roch- 
ester, New York, and weakly in New England. 
Giganthea does well in the East, but in the West 



SPECIALTIES 



371 



bears few flowers. It is true, too, that both 
quality and quantity of bloom vary from season 
to season, so far as can be determined, for no 
apparent reason. Weather conditions may be 
entirely favorable and still the flowers be lim- 
ited and of inferior quality while, another year, 




Single Peonies 



weather conditions may be unfavorable and the 
flowers will be large and numerous. 

A few varieties are especially sensitive ; they 
can not endure storms or frosts of early spring 
and usually the only return they make for nurs- 
ing and coddling is to produce buds that blight 
before they expand. This is especially true of 
many varieties imported from England. They 



372 



YARD AND GARDEN 



can not, it seems, adapt themselves to the cli- 
matic conditions of their new home. 

There is little pleasure in fostering one of 
these indolent or sensitive varieties and the 
purchaser should exercise care in his selection 
to make sure that he obtains only the hardiest 
and most visrorous and those that are surest 




Flower of the Tree Peony 

and most profuse in bloom. The following list 
will assist the beginner in the matter of selec- 
tion, but it must be understood that Peony no- 
menclature is so sadly mixed at this time that 
very little dependence can be placed upon the 
names : 



SPECIALTIES 373 

Achille, delicate pink 

Agida, rosy violet 

Alexander Dunuis, brilliant pink 

Aniazone, creamy white, yellowish center 

Andre Laures, violet red 

Auguste Lenionier, deep, dark red 

Baroness Schroeder, delicate pink, touched with gold in 

center 
Bell Hough, light purplish crimson 
Bertha, bright crimson 

Belle Chatelaine, delicate pink, carmine center 
Cameron, deep purplish red 

Carnea Flora Plena, delicate pink, carnline center 
Charles Verdier, carmine 
Comte de Osmont, fine white 
Defiance, bright crimson 

Duchesse de Nemours, clear pink, center of lilac tints 
Duchesse d'Orleans, deejj pink 
Edouard Andre, crimson, with yellow stamens 
Excelsior, dark crimson 

Festiva Maxima, the best white, a superb flower 
Floral Treasure, pink, fragrant, one of the best and hardiest 

of flowers 
Flambeau, cherry petals with white tips, tufted bloom 
General Grant, red 

Grandiflora Carnea Plena, clear, light pink, shaded lilac 
Golden Harvest, outer petals pink, inner golden, a splendid 

flower 
Golden Wedding, pure yellow — the only pure yellow 
Humei, pink 
La Coquette, bright rose 
La Fiance, creamy white, yellowish center 
L'Esperence, white, touched with pink 
Marie Lemoine, sulphur white, shaded pink 
Nigra, dark crimson 
Pomponia, pinkish white 
Queen Victoria, white 

Richardson's Rubra Superba, splendid crimson 
Sarah Bernhardt, pink, salmon center 
The Nymph, fragrant, curious flower, white, tipped with 

carmine 
Victoria Tricolor, pink, sulphur and flesh 
Zoe Calot, soft pink 



374 YARD AND QARDEN 

FOR CUT FLOWERS 

Many gardeners desire varieties of Peonies 
that serve not only a decorative purpose, but 
whicli are also useful as cut flowers. The fol- 
lowing list contains tlie best for this dual pur- 
pose: 

White: Festiva Maxima, Queen Victoria, M. 
Dupont, Couronne d'Or, Madame Crousse, La 
Tulipe, Madame de Verneville, Marie Lemoine, 
Duchesse de Nemours. 

Pink: Beaute Francaise, Delicatissima, Liv- 
ingstone, Princess Beatrice, M. Jules Elie, Edu- 
lis Superba, Alexandrina. 

Red: Adolph Rosseau, Souvenir de 1 'Exposi- 
tion Universelle, Modeste Guerin, Delachei, 
Marechal de MacMahon, M. Krelage, Richard- 
son's Rubra Superba, Felix Crousse. 

PERENNIAL PHLOX 

A yard or garden, large or small, in which 
many Phloxes are grown is always a place gay 
with flowers from mid-June to the autumn days 
of frost. Like the peony, the Phlox is easily 
grown, rewarding the gardener with a wealth 
of bloom altogether out of proportion to the 
few demands it makes upon his time and labor. 



SPECIALTIES 



375 




Hardy Phlox [Phlox paniculaia) 



376 YARD AND GARDEN 

The suffruticosa group is the first to bloom, but 
it is the deciissata {paniculata) group, later in 
flowering, that produces the brightest and 
clearest blossoms. Both divisions will grow 
either in sun or shade, but they prefer, on the 
whole, a situation in partial shade. They do 
best in a deep, rich loam, enriched with well- 
rotted cow manure, and spaded to a depth of 
at least two feet. 

The plants should be set out so that the crown 
is about two inches below the surface of the soil 
and the earth must be well firmed about the 
roots! The best season for planting is from the 
first of October to the last of the month, but 
spring planting is fairly successful. After 
planting, mulch before the ground freezes 
deeply with a covering of leaves, straw or lit- 
ter to a depth of four inches. If the plants are 
set out in spring, a lighter mulch should be ap- 
plied to shade the roots from the sun. 

If a profusion of bloom is wanted, pinch back 
the stalks of the taller varieties when they have 
attained a height of twelve or fifteen inches and 
the dwarf sorts when they have attained half 
that height. They will then break into two or 
four secondary stalks and upon these will be 
borne the clusters of bloom. The Phlox is un- 



SPECIALTIES 



377 



commonly free from insect enemies and diseases, 
though occasionally it is attacked by red-spider 
or cut-worms. Spraying with a hard stream of 
clear water will kill the former and wood ashes 
sprinkled lightly about the roots will control 
the latter. 

The following list* includes the best both in 
point of size and color of bloom and in hardi- 
ness and vigor of plant : 




Wild Sweet William {PJilox divaricata) 



PHLOX SUFFRUTICOSA 

Dr. Hornby, white, lilac tinted 
Indian Chief, magenta, crimson eye 
Lady Musgrove, white, striped magenta 
Leaman, rosy lilac 

Ringleader, light magenta with red eye 
Snowdon, pure white 

* Little dependence can be phiced in Phlox nomenclature. 



378 YARD AND GARDEN 



DWAKF SPECIES 

Amoena, pinkish purple, very early and very dwarf 

Divaricata, pinkisli blue, very early 

Reptans, purplish violet 

Stellaria, whitish blue 

Subulata, pinkish purple, blooms in April and May 

Subulata, var. Alba, white 

PHLOX PANICULATA 

Amazone, the finest white 

Andreas Hoffer, pure white 

Bouquet de Fleurs, white with deep rose eye 

Bridesmaid, white, with a large crimson eye 

Champs-Elysees, rich purplish crimson 

Coquelicot, scarlet, with dark carmine eye 

Cross of Honor, lilac, margined with white 

Eclaireur, purplish crimson, with bright shades 

Esclarmonde, lilac, mottled with white, witli a deep rose eye 

Eugene Danzanvillier, lilac, with white edge and center 

Jeanne d'Arc, white, large and late-flowering 

Jocelyn, salmon 

Jules Finger, white with red eye 

La Fondre, purple-crimson, with carmine center 

La Vogue, rosy mauve, with red eye 

Lothair, salmon, with crimson eye 

Marquis de St. Paul, rosy salmon, with crimson eye 

M. Gladstone, soft rose, with crimson eye 

Ornament, rosy magenta, with crimson eye 

Pantheon, deep rosy salmon 

P. Bonnetain, rose, overlaid with salmon 

Prof. Schliemann, lilac-rose, with carmine eye 



THE END 



APPENDIX 

FLOWERS OF HARDY BULBS FROM FROST TO FROST 

The following list is intended to suggest what 
hardy bulbs to plant in order to insure a suc- 
cession of flowers of this class outdoors prac- 
tically all the year round: 





JANUARY, FEBRUARY 


AND MARCH 


Popular Name 


Botanical Name .M-g 


Color 


Cultural 
Suggestions 


Christmas rose 


Helleborus niger G 


White 


Light soil, half 
shade, sheltered 
situation 


Winter aconite 


Eranthis hyemalis G 


Yellow 


Rich, well-drained 
soil, partial shade 


Siberian scilla 


Scilla Sibirica G 


Blue 


Light sandy but 
rich soil, sun 



Purple scilla Scilla bifolia G Purple Light, rich soil, 

sun 



Glory-of-the-snow Chionodoxa 8 Blue "^ 

Luciliae 

— [Fair soil, well 

Glory-of-the-snow Chionodoxa 8 Dark f drained, sun 

Sardensis blue J 

— I 1 m 

Crocus Crocus vernus 5 f Whiter 

1 lilac ' 



Light soil, rich and 
well drained, sun 



' Light Eoil and par- 
Giant Snowdrop Galanthus Elwesii 8 White ) tial shade 

379 



Imperial crocus 


Crocus Imperiati 


5 


Lilac 


Scotch crocus 


Crocus biflorus 


5 


y Light 
1 lilac 


Cloth-of-gold 
crocus 


Crocus Susianus 


5 


Yellow , 


Snowdrop 


Galanthus nivalis 


4 


White 



380 



YARD AND GARDEN 



Popular Name 


Botanical Name 


II 


Color 


Cultural 
Suggestions 


Windflower 


( Anemone blanda 6 
< Anemone Apen- 7 
( nina 


Blue 
Blue 


Rich soil and sun 


Trumpet nar- 
cissus 


Narcissus 

Pseudo-Narcis- 
sus 


15 


White- ^ 
Yellow 


Rich, deep soil — 
- sun or half-shade 


Cup narcissus 


Narcissus incom- 
parabilis 


15 


White- 
yellow 


Jonquil 


Narcissus 
Jonquilla 


12 


Yellow 




Spring- snowflake 


Leucojum 
vernum 


7 


White 


Light soil, rich, and 
sun 


Crown imperial 


Fritillaria im- 
perialis 


4 


Yellow- 1 
red ; 


Moist situation, 
some shade, rich 
soil 


Grape hyacinth 


Muscari 
botryoides 


6 


Purple- 
blue 


Sunny situation, 
fair soil 


Tulip 


Tulip suaveolens 


12 


Various 


Sunny situation, 
light, fair soil 


Plyacinth 


Hyacinthus 
orientalis 


12 




Fairly rich soil, 
sun 


MAY 


Poet's narcissus 


Narcissus poet- 
icus 


IG 


White ) 


Sun or shade, rich 
deep soil 


Bluebell 


Scilla festalis 


10 


Blue, ) 
white, 1 
pink ) 


Half shade, fair 
soil 


Garden anemone 


Anemone hor- 
tensis 


10 


Purple, ' 
white, 1 
red. ) 


Some shade, light, 
rich soil 


Poppy anemone 


Anemone coro- 
naria 


10 


White, ) 
red, f 
blue. S 


Some shade, light, 
rich soil 


Wake Robin 


Trillium grandi- 
florum 


12 


White ) 


Little sun. damp, 
rich soil 


May-flowermg 
tulip 


Tulipa Gesneriana 


24 


Various 


Sun, rich, light soil 



Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum 9 

umbellatum 



White Sun or shade, fair 
soil 



APPENDIX 



381 



JUNE 



Popular Name 


Botanical A'ame 


If 

u 


Color 


S 


Cultural 
uggestions 


Spanish iris 


Iris Xiphium 


20 


White, 
blue, 
yellow 


Light, 
sun 


rich soil and 


English Iris 


Iris xiphioides 


■2i 


Purple- 
white 


Light, 
sun 


rich soil and 


Madonna lily 


Lilium candidum 


30 


White 


Light, 
soil, 


well drained 
little shade 


Hanson's lily 


Lilium Hansoni 


30 


Orange 


Light, 
soil, 


well drained 
little shade 




JULY 








Erect lily 


Lilium elegans 


18 


Orange- 
red 


Light, rich, well- 
drained soil, sun 


Canada lily 


Lilium Canadense36 


Yellow- 
red 


Moist, leaf mould, 
partial shade 



Purple trumpet Lilium Brownii 36 
lily 



Purple- 
white 



Light soil, sheltered 
sunny situation 



White trumpet Lilium longi- 26 

lily florum 



White Light soil, sun 



Summer hyacinth Galtonia candi- 30 
cans 

Turk's Lily Lilium superbum 50 



White 



Red 

orange 



Light but deep soil 
rich; sun 

Deep soil, light but 
rich; sun 



Speciosum lily Lilium speciosum 36 



White, 
pink. 



Deep soil, light but 
rich; partial 
shade 



Henry's lily Lilium Henryi 48 



Red, 

yellow 



Golden-banded 

lily Lilium aurati 



\\'hite 
and gold 



Deep soil, light but 
rich; sun 

Deep soil, light but 
rich; sun 



SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 



Autumn crocus Colchicum 

autumnale 



White, 

pink, 

purple. 



Light rich loam, 
sun 



Checkered crocus Co'chicum 

*Parkinsoni 

Yellow starflower Sternbergia lutea 



Purple 



Yello\ 



Light, rich loam, 
sun 

Rich, heavy soil, 
sun 



382 



YARD AND GARDEN 



PLANTING TABLE OF THE BEST AND EASIEST GROWN 



Popular Name 


Botanical Name 


Color 


Height 
(inches) 


Glory-of-the-snow 


( Chionodoxa Lucilise 


Sky blue 


8 


( Chionodoxa Sardensis 


Deep blue 


8 


Autumn crocus 


Colchicum autumnale 


White, pink 
purple 


5 


Checkered crocus 


Colchicum Parkinson! 


Purple 


5 



Crocus 



Crocus biflorus 



Light lilac 



Crocus Imperati 


Lilac 


5 


Crocus Moesiacus 


Yellow 


5 


Crocus Susianus 


Golden 


5 



Crocus vernus 



White, purple, 5 

lilac 



Winter aconite 


Eranthis hyemalis 


Yellow 


6 


Crown imperial 


Fritillaria Imperialis 


Red, yellow 


C4 


Guinea-hen-flower 


Fritillaria Meleagris 


Purple, green 


18 


Scarlet fritillary 


Fritillaria recurva 


Scarlet 


18 


Giant snowdrop 


Galanthus Elwesii 


White 


8 


Snowdrop 


Galanthus nivalis 


White 


4 


Christmas rose 


Helleborus niger 


White 


6 


Hyacinth 


Hyacinthus orientalis 


Various 


12 


Spanish iris 


Iris Xiphium 


White, blue 
yellow 


20 


English iris 


Iris xiphioides 


Purple-white 


14 


Golden-banded 
lily 


Lilium auratum 


White and gold 


40 



Purple trumpet 
lily 



Lilium Brownii 



Purple-white 



36 



APPENDIX 



383 



HAKDY BULBOUS PLANTS FOR AUTUMN PLANTING 



Blooming 
season 


How deep to 

Plant 

(inches) 


How far 

apart 
(inches) 


Notes and Cultural Suggestions 


March 


3 


3 I 


^ Plant in well drained soil — replant 


March 


3 


3 


1 every three or four years 


September 


3 


6 


Plant in masses. 


September 


3 


6 


Prefers light, rich soil 


March 


3 


3 


There is a white and very early va- 
riety 


March 


3 


3 


Flowers with snowdrops 


March 


3 


3 


Good for naturalizing in grass 


March 


3 


3 


Very early species, excellent form 


March 


3 


3 


Common crocus — showy and per- 
manent 


March 


1 


4 


Does best in partial shade 


April 


5 


8 


Set bulb on side 


April 


3 


5 


Several distinct forms are to be had 


May 


3 


6 


Distinct from other fritillaries 


5 February 
i March 


2 


3 


Later in period of bloom than com- 
mon variety 


( February 
I March 


2 


3 


Earliest spring flowers 


5 December 
I January 


4 


12 


Impatient of disturbance when es- 
tablished 


April 


5 


8 


Named varieties are best 


June 


4 


4 


Mulch the bed in winter 


June 


4 


4 


Same treatment as Spanish 


August 


8 


18 


Extremely showy but short-lived. 



July 



Excellent in border. 



384 



YARD AND GARDEN 



PLANTING TABLE OF THE BEST AND EASIEST 


GKOWN 


Popular Name 


Botanical Name 


Color 


Height 
(inches) 


Madonna lily 


Lilium 


candidum 


White 


30 


Canada lily- 


Lilium 


Canadense 


Golden red 


36 


Orange lily 


Lilium 


croceum 


Orange red 


36 


Erect lily 


Lilium 


elegans 


Orange red 


18 


Hanson's lily 


Lilium 


Hansoni 


Orange 


30 


Henry's lily 


Lilium 


Henryi 


Red, yellow 


48 


White trumpet lily 


Lilium 


longiflorum 


White 


26 


Speciosum lily 


Lilium 


speciosum 


White, pink 


36 


Turk's cap lily 


Lilium 


superbum 


Red, orange 


50 


Tiger lily 


Lilium 


tigrinum 


Red, purple 
spots 


48 


Star flower 


Milla 1 


(Triteleia) uniflora 


Blue 


8 


Grape hyacinth 


Muscari botryoides 


White, blue 


6 


Hoon-petticoat 
narcissus 


Narcissus Bulbocodium 


Light yellow 


8 


Cup narcissus 


Narcissus incomparabilis 


White, yellow 


15 


Jonquil 


Narcissus Jonquilla 


Yellow 


12 


Poet's narcissus 


Narcissus poeticus 


White, crim- 
son eye 


14 


Trumpet narcissus 


Pseudo-Narcissus 


White-yellow 


15 


Star-of-Bethlehem 


Ornithogalum umbellatum White 


9 


Two-leaved scilla 


Scilla 


bifolia 


White, purple 


6 


Bell-flowered scilla 


Scilla 


Hispanica 


Blue, purple 


10 



Siberian scilla 



Scilla Sibirica 



White, blue 



Wake Robin 



Tulip 



Trillium grandiflorum 



Tulipa suaveolens, etc. 



White 



Various 



12 to 24 



APPENDIX 



385 



HARDY 


BULBOUS 


, PLANTS FOR AUTUMN PLANTING 


Blooming How deep to 
season Plant 
(inches) 


How far 

apart 
(inches) 


Notes and Cultural Suggestions 


June 


8 


12 


Plant by September 15 


July 


6 


12 


Effecti^'e when massed 


July 


8 


18 


Easily grown 


July 


8 


12 


Among the best for garden culti- 
vation 


June 





15 


Most effective in clumps 


August 


8 


18 


Splendid, unconventional variety 


July 


G 


15 


Pretty in border 


August 


8 


18 


Two varieties — rubrum, pink; album, 
white 


August 


G 


18 


Useful in mixed border 


August 


8 


18 


Does well in borders 


April-May 


3 


3 


Plant in sheltered situations 


April 


3 


i 


Splendid when naturalized 


April-May 


4 


6 


Good when massed 


April-May 


5 


6 


Increases rapidly 


April 


4 


6 


Fragrant 


April-May 


5 


6 


Excellent for naturalizing — fra- 
grant 


April-May 


5 


8 


Many forms are grown 


May 


4 


6 


Excellent for early summer bloom 


March-April 


3 


4 


Very hardy and early 


May 


3 


5 


Several varieties, all good 


March-April 


3 


4 


Better when slightly protected — 
Later to bloom than S. bifolia 


May 


4 


6 


One of the best wild flowers 



April-May 



May-flowering are best for plant- 
ing except in formal beds 



386 



YARD AND GARDEN 



PLANTING LIST OF THE BEST 



Popular Name. 



Botanical Name 



Color 



Height 
(inches) 



Ageratum 


Ageratum conyzoides 


Blue white 


4 to 10 


Alyssum, sweet. 


Alyssum maritimum 


White 


6 


Aster, China 


Callistephus Chinensis 


V^arious 


18 


Baby's breath, 
annual 


Gypsophila muralis 


White 


24 


Balloon vine 


Cardiospermum Halica- 
cabum 


White 


10 ft. 


Balsam 


Impatiens Balsamina 


White, pink red, 
yellow 


18 


Bartonia 


Mentzelia Lindleyi 


Yellow 


12 to 30 


Candytuft 


Iberis amara 


Red, white 


6 


Castor bean 


Ricinus communis 




5 to 8 ft. 




Catchfly 


Silene Armeria, S. pen- 
dula 


Red, white 


12 to 18 

i 


Chrysanthemum, 
annual 


Chrysanthemum corona- 
rium 


White, yellow 


12 to 24 


Clarkia 


Clarkia elegans 


White, rose, pur- 
ple 


18 


Cup and saucer 
vine 


Coboea scandens 


Purplish white 


15 ft. 


Cockscomb 


Celosia 


Red, white, yellow 
purple 


6 to 12 


Coreopsis 


Coreopsis tinctoria 


Yellow, brown 


12 


, Cornflower 


Centaurea Cyanus 


White, blue, rose 


12 



Cosmos 



Cosmos bipinnatus 



White, pink, red 2i/2to6ft. 



Cypress vine 

Daisy, Swan 
River 



Ipomoea Quamoclit 



Scarlet 



15 ft. 



Brachycome iberidifolia White, blue 



12 to 14 



Everlasting 



Xeranthemum annuum Purple 



APPENDIX 



387 



ANNUALS FOR ALL, PURPOSES 



Season of Bloom 
Early Late 



Distance 
Depth apart when 
When to Sow to Sow transplanted 

Indoors Outdoors (Inches) or thinned 
(inches) 



June 


July to Oct. 


March 


May 


yi 


5 


July 


Aug. to Sept. 


March 


April 


3^4 


8 


July 


Sept. 


March 


May 


'A 


18 


June 


July to Oct. 


March 


May 


Vs 


12 




Aug. 




May 


Vi 










June 


July to Sept. 


April 


May 


V2 


18 


June 


July to Sept. 


IMarch 


May 


Va 


12 




June to Sept. 




< April 
Uuly 


Va 










Grown for 
foliage 


ornamental 


April 


May 


2 


36 


June 


July and Aug. 


April 


May 


. /8 


8 


July 


Aug. to Oct. 


April 


May 


% 


18 


June 


July to Oct. 


April 


^May 
( June 


Va 


8 


July 


Aug. to Oct. 


March 


May 


V2 


18 


June 


July to Oct. 


April 


May 


A 


8 


June 


Aug. to Nov. 


March 


May 


Va 


12 




June 




April 


Vs 








8 


August 


September 


April 


May 


V2 


30 


June 


July 


April 


May 


% 


10 


June 


July to Oct. 


ISIarch 


May 


V2 


15 



Aug. and Sept. 



May 



15 



388 



YARD AND GARDEN 

PLANTING LIST OF THE BEST 



Popular Name 



Botanical Name 



Color 



Height 
(inches) 



Globe amaranth 


Gomphrena globosa 


Red 


12 to 18 


Godetia 


CEnothera amoena, 
Oi. Whitneyi 


Red, white 


12 to 18 


Gourd 


Cucurbita 


Fruit 


15 ft. 


Hop, Japanese 


Humulus Japonicus 


Foliage plant 


10 to 20 ft. 


Hyacinth bean 


Dolichos Lablab 


White, purple 


10 to 20 ft. 


Ice plant 


Mesembryanthemum 
crystallinum 


White 


trailing vine 


Immortelles 


Helichrysum bracteatum 


Yellow, orange 


12 to 24 


Larkspur, annual 


Delphinium Ajacis 


Red, white, blue 


15 to 24 


Love-lies-bleeding 


Amarantus caudatus 


Red 


30 


Marigold 


Tagetes patula, T. erecta 


Orange, yellow 


12 to 24 


Mignonette 


Reseda odorata 


Greenish white 


12 


Moon-flower 


Ipomoea Bona-nox 


White 


15 to 30 ft. 


Morning-glory 


Ipomcea purpurea 


Various 


1 to 25 ft. 


Musk 


Mimulus moschatus 


Yellow 


12 to 30 



Nasturtium 



Nemophila 



Phlox, annual 



Pink, Chinese 



Tropseolum majus 
(climbing) and T. 
minus (dwarf) 



Various 



Nemophila insignis and 
N. Menziesii 



Blue, white 



Phlox Drummondii 



Various 



1 to 8 ft. 



12 to 30 



Palafoxia 


Polypteris Hookeriana 


Red 




12 to 36 


Pansy 


Viola tricolor 


Various 




G to 12 


Petunia 


Petunia hybrida 


White, magenta 


12 to 24 



to 12 



Dianthus Chinensis 



White and various 



12 



APPENDIX 389 

ANNUALS FOR ALL PURPOSES 

Distance 
Deptli apart when 
Season of Bloom When to Sow to Sow transplanted 

Early Late Indoors Outdoors (Inches) or thinned 

(inches) 





Aug. and Sept. 




May 


'A 








15 


June 


July to Oct. 


March 
April 


May 


Vs 


18 








May 


1 
















April 


May 


V2 


30 




July to Oct. 




May 


2 










July 


Aug. and Sept. 


April 


IMay 


H 


12 




August 




May 


Va 








12 


June 


July to Sept. 


April 


May 


Ya 


10 


June 


July 


April 


May 


Va 


18 


June 


July to Oct. 


February 
March 


April 

May 


Va 


12 


May and June 


■ July to Oct. 


March 


April 
May 


Va 


10 


July 


Aug. and Sept. 


March 


May 


K2 


24 


June 


July to Oct. 


March and 
April 


May 


Va 


18 


June 


July and Aug. 


April 


May 


/8 


6 


June 


July to Oct. 


March and 
April 


May 


1 


10 


June 


July to Oct. 


March 


April and 
May 


Va 


6 




July to Oct. 




May 


Va 








18 


May and June 


Sept. to Oct. 


Jan. and 
Feb. 


June to 
August 


v& 


6 


May 


July to Oct. 


April 


May Sow on 
Surface 


12 


June 


July to Oct. 


Feb. 


April and 
May 


Va 


12 



May July to Sept. Feb. and April and J-^ 

March May ^ *" 



390 



YARD AND GARDEN 

PLANTING LIST OF THE BEST 



Popular Name Botanical Name 



Color 



Height 
(inches) 



Poppy 


Papaver 


Various 


6 to 30 


Portulaca 


Portulaca grandiflora 


White, i-ed 


6 to 12 


Pot Marigold 


Calendula officinalis 


Orange, yellow 


12 to 24 


Rhodanthe 
Rose moss 


rielipterum Manglesii 
Lu Portulaca 


Purple 


18 to 24 


Salpiglossis 


Salpiglossis sinuata 


White, yellow, 
red 


20 


Stock, ten-weeks 


Matthiola incana, var. 
annua. 


\'arious 


18 


Sweet pea 


Lathyrus odoratus 


Various 


4 to 8 ft. 


Sweet Sultan 


Centaurea moschata 


White, yellow, 
purple 


24 


Tarweed 


Madia elegans 


Yellow 


12 to 24 


Wish-bone flower 


Torenia Fournieri 


Yellow 


12 to 20 


Zinnia 


Zinnia elegans 


\"arious 


12 to 36 



APPENDIX 391 

ANNUALS FOR ALL PURPOSES 

Distance 
Depth apart wlien 
Season of liloom ^^'hen to Sow to Sow transplanted 

Early Late Indoors Outdoors (inches) or thinned 

(Inches) 





June to Aug. 




March, 
April 
and May 


v& 


12 




June 


July to Oct. 


Alarch and 
April 


May 


Sow on 
Surface 


8 


June 


July to Oct. 


■March and 
April 


May 


% 


12 




Aug. and Se])t. 





May 


Va 


18 


June 


July to Oct. 


April 


May 


M 


6 


June 


July and Aug. 


March 


May 


Va 


12 




July to Oct. 




March to 
June 


3 to 4 


4 






June 


July and Aug. 


March and 
April 


May 


V2 


12 




July to Oct. 




May 


Va 


12 








July to Oct. 


March and 
x\pril 





% 


12 






June to Oct. 




i\Iay 


Va 


12 







392 YAKD AND GARDEN 



[The designs presented here are intended to assist the beginner. 
While their real value lies in their suggestions, all are practical and, 
if conditions admit of their use, can be followed in planting city 
yards of similar shape and size. Only those plants that are haidiest 
and easiest raised are advised.] 



DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING BORDER-PLANTING 

Mixed Border of Shrubs and Hardy Herbaceous Plants, Arranged 

According to Height, Color of Bloom and Season of 

Flowering: — 

Name 

Aster alpinus 
Campanula Carpatica 
Alyssum saxatile, var. compactum 
Achillea Ptarmica, var. " The Pearl " 
Campanula latifolia, var. macrantha 
Spircca Van Houttei 
Forsythia suspensa, var. Fortunei 
Hydrangea paniculata, var. grandiflora 
Syringa vulgaris (lilac) 
Diervilla hybrida, var. Eva Rathke 
Yucca Ulamentosa 
Iris Icevigata (Kcempferi) 
Iris Germanica 
Hypericum Moscrianum 
Statice latifolia 
Pcconies 

Phlox paniculata 
Erigeron speciosus 
Platycodon grandiAorum 
Arunciis {Spircca) astiboides 
Spircca Aruncus (Anmcus Sylvester) 
Althcca rosea 
Boltonia latisquama 
Bocconia cordata 
Delphinium hybridum 



No. on 


Quantity 


diagram 


required 


1 


18 


2 


20 


3 


20 


4 


10 


5 


10 


6 


6 


7 


4 


8 


6 


9 


2 


10 


5 


11 


4 


12 


10 


13 


10 


1-t 


15 


15 


20 


16 


12 


17 


20 


18 


12 


19 


24 


20 


12 


21 


12 


22 


10 


23 


18 


24 


5 


25 


6 



APPENDIX 



393 



394: 



YARD AND GAEDEN 



BORDER OF PERENNIALS 



Straight Border of the Best and Hardiest Herbaceous Perennials, 
Arranged to Insure Succession of Bloom: — 



Name 



No. 


on Season 




diagr 


am of bloom 




1 


May, June, July 


2 


]\Iay, June 




3 


June, July 




4 


July,^Aug., 


Sept., 


5 


Aug., Sept. 




6 


July, Aug. 




7 


Sept. Oct. 




8 


, June, July 




9 


July, Aug., 
Oct. 


Sept., 


10 


June, July 




n 


Aug., Sept. 




12 


June, July 




13 


June, July 




14 


July, Aug. 




15 


June, July 




16 


June, July 






Aug., Sept. 


17 


April, May 




18 


May, June 




19 


July, Aug., 


Sept. 


20 


May, June, 


July 


21 


July, Aug., 


Sept. 


22 


July, Aug., 


Sept. 


23 


May, June 




24 


June, July 




25 


May, June, 


July 


26 


May, June, 
Aug. 


July, 


27 


June, July 




28 


June, July, 


Aug. 


29 


July, Aug. 




80 


June, July 




31 


April, May 




32 


;"uly, Aug., 


Sept. 


33 


. une, July 




34 


."une, July, 
Sept., Oct 


Aug., 


35 


May, June, 
Aug. 


"July, 


36 


May, June 




37 


Jtily, Aug., 


Sept. 



7m crista t a 
Trolliiis EuropcBus 
Iris plicata 

Boltonia latisqumna 

Boltonia asteroides 

Helianthns mollis 

Aster Tataricus 

Penstemon Icevigatus, var. Digitalis 

Phlox paniculata 

Ulmaria (Spircca) Filipendula 

Helianthus rigidiis, var. Miss Mellish 

Campanula latifolia, var. macrantha 

Campanula persicifolia 

Bocconia cordata 

Yucca aiamentosa 

Centaurea macrocephala 

Phlox subulata 

Armeria maritima 

Centaurea niontana, var. alba 

Iris Gerinanica 

Silphium laciniatiim 

Rndbeckia laciniata 

Baptisia australis 

Iris lavigata (Kcempferi) 

Aqiiilegia carulea 

Dianthus plumarius 
Scabiosa Caucasica 
Campanula Carpatica 
Gypsophila paniculata 
Delphinium hybridum 
Trollius Asiaticus 
Statice latifolia 
Campanula glomerata 

Achillea Ptarmica, var. "The Pearl" 

Aquilegia chrysantha 

Paonia 

Aconitum Napellus 



APPENDIX 



395 




396 YARD AND GARDEN 



DESIGN FOR CITY YARD FRONTING EAST 

Name 

Picea pungens, var. glaitca 

Clematis Jackmani 

Kalmia latifolia 

Funka subcordata, var. graiidiflora 

Lonicera Hal Han a 

Wistaria Chinensis 

Alyssnm saxatilc, var. compactum 

Paonia 

Spircca Van Houttei 

Syringa vulgaris (lilac) 

Spircca Bumalda, var. Anthony Watcrcr 

Berberis (Mahonia) 

Hydrangea panictilata, var. grandiflora 

Abies concolor 

Ligustrum ovalifolium, or var. Regeliauuin 

Myosotis palustris 

Phlox subulata 

Phlox paniculata 

Iris pumila 

Dianthus barbatus 

Iris Germanica 

Hardy ferns 

Dianthus plumarius 

Lychnis Viscaria, var. splcndcns 

Thalictruni aquilegifolium 

Delphinium formosnin 

Iris IcTTigata (Kccinpferi) 

Cypsophila paniculata 

Armeria maritima 

Physostcgia Virgin iana 

Platycodon gixindiflormn 

Stokesia cyanea 

Centaurea montana 

Hardy ferns 

Aquilegia ccerulea 

Campanula Carpatica 

Campanula persicifolia 

Hfirdy ferns 



No. on. 


Quantity 
required 


diagram 


1 


2 


2 


2 


3 


2 


4 


50 


5 


2 


G 


2 


7 


35 


8 


8 


9 


2 


10 


1 


1 


1 


12 


3 


13 


2 


14 


1 


15 


300 


16 


15 


17 


20 


18 


12 


19 


30 


20 


25 


21 


8 


22 


6 


23 


35 


24 


15 


25 


10 


26 


15 


27 


5 


28 


10 


29 


35 


30 


5 


31 


15 


32 


30 


33 


10 


34 


8 


35 


10 


36 . 


30 


37 


20 


38 


20 



APPENDIX 



397 




398 YARD AND GARDEN 



DESIGN FOR CITY CORNER YARD 



on 
ram 


Number 
required 


Name 


1 


75 


Coreopsis lanceolata 


2 


1 


Wistaria Chinensis 


3 


2 


Lonicera Halliana 


4 


4 


Rose, Crimson Rambler 


5 


50 


Hemerocallis fulva 


6 


2 


Picea pun gens, var. glauca 


7 


12 


Phlox paniculata 


8 


24 


Aconitum autumnale 


9 


12 


Iris Icevigata (Kcempferi) 


10 


18 


Delphiniurn hybridum 


11 


14 


German iris 


12 


20 


Althcca rosea, single 


13 


12 


Pcconia 


14 


12 


Bocconin cordata 


15 


12 


Trollius Eiiropcpus 


16 


12 


Boltonia asteroides 


17 


12 


Campanula latifolio, var. macrantha 


18 


24 


Rudbeckia, Golden Glow 


19 


15 


Statice latifolia 


20 


6 


Yucca aiamentosa 


21 


100 


Berberis Thunbergii 


22 


9 


Maples 

(Thin when crowding begins) 


23 


1 


Syringa vulgaris (lilac) 


24 


2 


Spircea Van Houttei 


25 


3 


Hydrangea paniculata, var. grandiflora 


26 


1 


Forsythia suspensa, var. Fortunei 


27 




Hardy ferns' 



(Space is left at the point A to allow entrance to the lawn.) 



APPENDIX 



399 




J [ ' ] [ 



400 YARD AND GARDEN 



DESIGN FOR CITY YARD FRONTING WEST 



No. on 


Quantity 


Name of plant 


liagram 


required 




1 


3 


Picea pungens, var. glauca 


2 


2 


Psev.dotsuga Doiiglasii 


3 


1 


Spiraa Van Houttei 


4 


2 


Kalmia latifolia 


5 


3 


Berberis {Mahonia) Aquifolium 


G 


2 


Hydrangea paniculata, var. grandiHora 


7 


75 


Iris Germanica 


8 


3 


Clematis paniculata 


9 


2 


Lonicera Halliana 


10 


10 


Hardy ferns 


11 


30 


Armcria maritima 


12 


20 


Ulmaria (Spircca) Filipendula 


13 


15 


Alyssum saxatile 


14 


20 


Se'dum spectabile 


15 


15 


Thalictriim aquilegifolium 


16 


20 


Dvanthus barbatus 


17 


8 


Funkia subcordata, var. grandiHora 


18 


10 


Helenium autumnale, var. superbitm 


19 


15 


Statice latifolia 


20 


25 


Achillea Ptarmica, var. " Tlie Pearl " 


21 


20 


Althcea rosea 


22 


15 


Bocconia cordata 


23 


10 


Delphinium formosuni 


24 


20 


Iris Iccvigata (Kcrinpferi) 


25 


15 


Physostegia Virginiana 


26 


6 


Pceonia 


27 


12 


Phlox paniculata 


28 


15 


Hibiscus Moscheutos, var. Crimson Eye 


29 


18 


Campanula persicifolia 


30 


18 


Veronica longifolia, var. subsessiiis 


31 


75 


Berberis Thunbergii 


32 


5 


Azalea amcena 


33 


10 


Funkia ca:rulea 


34 


]5 


Iris piimila 


35 


38 


Hardy ferns 



APPENDIX 



401 




402 YARD AND GARDEN 



DESIGN COMBINING ORNAMENT AND UTILITY 



No. on 
diagram 

1 


Quantity- 
required 
200 
C 80 


Name 

Ligustrum ovali folium 
Pcconia 


2 

3 
4 
5 


( 30 

4 
6 

1 


Phlox paniculata 
Rose; Dorothy Perkins 
Clematis paniculata 
Lcnicem, var. Halliana 


6 

7 
8 
9 


3 
2 


Grape 

Currants, blackberries c 
Bed of annuals 
Dwarf fruit trees 



or raspberries 



APPENDIX 



403 




\ 



[i 



o o O O O 

K o (:■■:. ' ■'■ 

O f...v.:..-;.; :v 

o ' ■■■:-.:::■■ 

*^ o ' ■ . " ■ - ■ 

_. , o ^ 





INDEX 



INDEX 



Abutilon, 133, 351 
Acer platanoidcs, 289 

saccharinum, 289 

saccharuni, 289 
Achillea, illiis. 139 

Ptarmica, var. " The 

Peari;' 162 

Aconitum autumnale, 166 

Fischeri, 164 

Napellus, illus. 161 
Actinidia arguta, 95 
Adiantum cuneatum, 356 
Adonis vernalis, 159 
^sculus Hippocastanum, 289 
Agapanthus, 235 
Ailanthus glandulosa, 289 
Akebia quinata, 95 
J Istrcemeria, 235 
Althaea rosea, 162 
Althea, shrubby, 264 
Alyssum saxaiile, 159 

(see Sweet alyssum) 
Amelanchier, 264 
Ampelopsis, illus. 89 

quinquefolia, 87 

Veitchi, 94 
Andromeda floribunda, 256, 

263 
Awemone Japonica, 166 

Pennsylvanica, 169 
Annuals, 99 

Beds for, 108 

Cultivation indoors, 105 

General classification of, 
100 

Half-hardy, 101 

Hardy, 101, 114 



Location of beds for, 114 

Planting indoors, 102 

Planting- outdoors, 113, 115 

Selection of varieties of, 
119 

Soil for, 110 

Sowing in flats, 103 

Support for, 116 

Tender, 101 

Transplanting, 105 

Watering, 117 

Weeding, 116 
Anthemis tinctoria, illus. 152, 

162 
Antirrhinum, illus. 105, 133 
Apios tuberosa, 239 
Aquilegia, illus. 139, 159, 160 

ccerulea, 151 

Canadensis, 159 
Arabis albida, 159 
Ardisia, 351 

Aristolochiu macrophyUa, 88 
Armeria rnaritima, 160 
Aruncus asiilboides, illus. 155 
Asclepias tuberosa, 164 
Ash, 289 
Ashes, wood, 58 
Asparagus, 133, 351 
Asplenium, 356 
Aster Amellus, 104 

China, illus. 105, 120 

^ovce-Anglice, 164 

Stoke's, illus. 147 
(see ^tokesia) 

Tataricus, 166 
Astilbe Japonica, 160 
Aubrietia deltoidea, 159 

407 



408 



INDEX 



Aucuba, 351 
Aiiracaria, 351 

Azalea, illus. 258; 256, 264, 
350 
Indica, illus. 333 

Balloon flower, illus. 148 

(see Platycodon) 
Balsam, 120 
Baptisia australis, 160 
Barberry (see Berbcris) 
Bee Balm, 148 
Beech, 289 
Begonia, 133, 351, 352 

Rex, illus. 336 

Tuberous, illus. 178; 133, 
235, 236 
Belemcanda Chinensis, 162 
Bellflower, 151 
Bellis perennis, 159 
Berheris, 263, 265 

Aquifolium, 256, 263 

vulgaris, 264 
Bermuda grass, 69 
Bessera, 235 
Biennials, 99 
Bitter sweet, False, 95 
Blue-grass, Kentucky, 53-55 
Bocconia cordata, 164 
Boltonia asteroides, illus. 
159, 164 

latisquama, 164 
Bone meal, 58 
Boston ivy, 194 
Bouvardia, 351 
Boxes, porch, 120 

window, 120 
Bridal wreath, illus. 241 
Browallia, 351 
Bucktliorn, 265 
Bulbocodium, 188 
Bulbous plants, 170 

(see Bulbs) 
Bulbs, 170 

Arrangement of, 188, 190 

Classification of, 171 



Cultivation of, 179 

Depth to plant, 214 

Dividing, 184 

Hardy, 173, 186, 194 

In beds, 189 

In borders, 180 

Indoors, 339, 346 

In lawn, 187 

Lifting, 184 

Planting, 178, 182, 190 

Preparation of beds for, 
176 

Spring flowering, 209 

Succession of bloom of, 175 

Tender, 175, 235 

Value of, 173 

Winter protection of, 183 
Buttonbush, 264 
Buttonwood, 289 

Caladium, 133, 235 
Calendula, 114, 120 

officinalis, illus. 116 
Calimeris incisa, 160, 162 
Caliopsis, 114, 120 
Calla, 235 

Callirhoe involucrata, 160 
Calycanthus floridus, 263 
Camelia, 351 
Campanula alliariaefolia, 162 

Carpatica, 160 

glomerata, 162 

persicifolia, 160 

pyramidalis, 151, 164 

Trachelium, 162 
Canada lily, illus. 185 
Candytuft, 120 
Canna, illus. 176 and 181; 
235 

(see Richardia) 
Carnation, 351 
Catchfly, illus. 137 
Ceanothus Americanus, 264 
Celastrus scandens, 95 
Cephalanthus Occident alls, 264 



INDEX 



409 



Ccratostignia phimhaginoidcs, 

164 
Vhelone Lyoni, 104 

ohliqua, 104 
Chestnut, horse, 289 
China aster, illus. 105; 120 
Chinese sacred lily, 348 
Chionodoxa, 188 

Depth to plant, 214 

gigantea, 212 

grandifioni, 212 

Su ideas is, 212 
Chrysanthemmn, 104, 100, 350 

frutesccns, illus. 330 

Leucanthemum , 102 

maximum, 102 
Chrysogonum \ irginianum, 

160 
Cimicifuga racemosa, 102 
Cineraria, 351 
Cinnamon vine, 95, 238 
Cinquefoil, 203 
Clarkia, 120 
Chiy (see Soil) 
Clematis, 91 

Davidiana, 164 

Diseases of, 92 

Flammula, 92 

Henry i, 94 

Jackmani, illus. 84; 92 

paniculata, 92 

recta, 160 

Soil for, 91 
Clethra ahiifolia, 203, 264 
Climbers (see Vines) 

For indoor gardens, 350, 
351 
Climbing fern, 350, 367 
Climbing roses, 90 

(see Roses) 
Coboea scandens, 351 
Cockscomb, 120 
Coleus, 133 
Color of flowers. 40 
Columbine, illus, 139; 151 
(see Aquilcgia) 



Conocliniuiiu caclcstinum, 104 
Convallaria majalis, 159 
Cooperia, 235 
Coreopsis, 120 

lanceoluia, 100 
Corm (see Bulbs) 
Cornelian cherry, 205 
Cornflower, 114 
Cornus, 263, 264 
Coronilla varia, 100 
Corylus, 204 
Crab-grass, 08 
Crimson Rambler, 90 
Crocus, 188, 212 

Depth to plant, 214 
Croton, 133 
Crytonium, 350 
Cupheas, 351 
Currant, wild, 263 
Cyanca l^tokesia, illus. 147 
Cycas rcvoluta, 351 
Cyclamen, 351 
Cydonia Japonicu, 203, 204 

Daffodil (see Xarcissus) 
Dahlia, illus. 170; 235, 230 

Single, illus. 189 
Dandelions in lawn, 00 
Daphne, 204 
Day lily, illus. 100 

(see Hemerucallis) 
Delphinium formosinn, 100 

grandiflorum, 102 

hybridum, illus. 150 
Deutzia, 253, 204 

gracilis, 203 

scabra, 203 
Dianthus barbatus, illus. 154; 
160 

plumarius, 100 
Dicentra eximia. 100 

spectabile, 159 
Dictmanus albus, 100 
Diervilla, 204 
Digitalis umbigiia. 102 

tnonstrosa, illus. 101 



410 



INDEX 



pui~purea, 160 

Dioscorea divaricata, 95 

Diseases, 309, 323 
Catalogue of, 324 
Remedies for, 324, 327 

Dogwood, 263 

Doronicum plantigineum, 159 

Dracaena, 351 

Dragon-head, False, illus. 154 

Drainage, 303 

Dutchman's pipe, 88 

Easter lily, 346 
Echinacea purpurea, 162 
Elceagnus long i pes, 265 
Elder, 264 
Elm, 289 
English ivy, 350 
Eranthis liyemalis, 213 

Depth to plant, 214 
Erigeron speciosus, 160 
Eryngium amethystiniim, 162 
Erythronium, illus. 106 
Euonymiis, 265, 351 

Japonicus, 257 

radicans, 95 
Eupatorium ageratoides, 164 
Euphorbia corolotta, 162 
Factory grounds planted, 18 
Fagus ferruginea, 289 
False bitter sweet, 95 
False dragon-head, illus. 154 
Farfugium, 351 
Ferns, 364 

Best varieties, 367 

Boston, 356 

Christmas, 367 

Cinnamon, 367 

Clayton's, 367 
■ Climbing, 350, 367 

Culture of, 356 

Ebony, 356, 367 

Evergreen, 367 

For indoor garden, 351, 356 

For porch boxes, 133 

Goldie's, 367 



Gossamer, 367 

Hardy, 364 

Holly, 356 

Kidney, 356 

Lace, illus. 354; 367 

Lady, 367 

Maidenhair, illus. 355; 356, 
367 

New York, 367 

Ostrich, illus. 366; 367 

Pests of, 356 

Pierson, 356 

Royal, 367 

Scott, 356 

Sensitive, 367 

Shield, 367 

Situation for, 364 

Soil for, 366 

Sword, 356 

Walking, 367 
Fertilizers, 293 

Animal manures, 303 

Bone meal, 58, 307 

For lawns, 46, 56 

For porch boxes, 131 

For potted plants, 337 

For vines, 84 

Lime, 59 

Liquid, 132, 305, 307 

Muriate of potash, 307 

Nitrate of soda, 58, 307 

Soot, 305 

Wood ashes, 58, 307 
Festuca glauca, 351 
Ficus elastica, 351 
Filbert, 264 
Flats, 103 

Fleur-de-lis (see Iris) 
Formal city garden, illus. 3 
Forsythia, 253 

suspensa, 264 
Foxglove, illus. 161 

(see Digitalis) 
Fraxinus Americana, 289 
Freesia, illus. 347 

In pots, 347 



INDEX 



411 



Fuchsia, 133, 351 
Fungicides, 327 
Fungus (see Diseases) 
Funkia, illus. 166 

Fortunei, illus. 306, 162 

laiicifolia, 162 

ovata, 162 

subcordata, 164 

Gaillardia aristata, 160, 164 
Galanthus, 210 

Depth to plant, 214 
Gardening, 4 

Geranium, illus. 350; 133,351 
Geranium sanguineiim, 160 
German iris, 160, 161 
Geum coccineum, 160 

montanum, 160 
Ginkgo hiloha, 289 
Gladiolus, illus. 206; 235,236 
Glechoma, 133 
Globe-flower, illus. 141 

(see Trollius) 
Glory-of-the-sJiow (see Chion- 

odoxa ) 
Goldenbell, 264 
Golden glow, 158 

(see Rudheckia) 
Grass (see Lawns) 

For clay soil, 55 

For lawns, 55 

For sandy soil, 55 

For shaded spots, 55 

For terraces, 55 
GreviUea robust a, 351 
Gypsophila paniculata, 162 

Hamamelis, 254 
Height of plants, 40 
Helenium, 164 

Hoopesii, 160 
Helianthus, 164 
Heliopsis Icevis, 162 
Heliotrope, 133, 351 
Helloborus niger, 159 

orientalis, 159 



Hemerocallis, illus. 166, 162 

Dumortierii, 160 
Hepatica triloba, 159 
Heuchera sanguinea, 162 
Hibiscus, 351 

Moscheutus, illus. 143, 164 

Syriacus, 264 
Honeysuckle, illus. 93 
(see Lonicera) 

Bush, 264 
Humus (see ^oil) 
Hyacinth, illus. 201; 194 

Best varieties of, 202 

For jDots, 343 

In water, 344 

Named varieties of, 200 

Planting of, 200 

Preparation of beds for, 201 

Roman, 344 

Winter protection of, 200 
Hyacinthus candicans, 237 
Hydrangea, illus. 244; 254 

hortensis, illus. 353 

paniculata, 264 
Hypericum aureum, 263 

prolificum, 264 
Iberis sempervirens, 160 

Indoor gardens 

(see Window gardens) 
Insecticides, 313, 321 
Insects, 309 

Chewing, 310 

Destruction of, 310 

Lists of, 313 

Sucking, 310 
Inula ensifolia, 162 
Iris, 219 

Bulbous, 224 

cristata, 232 

Division of, 234 

Dwarf varieties of, 231 

English (see /. xiphioides) 

Florentina, 233 

Germanica, illus. 230; 160. 
161, 230 



^12 



INDEX 



Japanese (see /. Iwvigata) 
Kcempferi (see /. Iwvdgata) 
Icevigata, illus. 221; 161, 

227 
Oncocyclus, 220 
pallida, 233 
Planting, 234 
Pseudacorus, 161, 233 
pumila, 231 
reticulata, 226 
Rhizomatous, 227 
t<ihirica, illus. 230 and 234; 

161, 233 
Spanish (see /, Xiphium) 
^usiana, 220 
Varieties of, 219, 223 
verna, 159, 232 
ociphioides, ilhis. 234; 224 
Xiphium, illus. 225; 224 
Ivv, Boston, 94 
English, 350 
Kenilworth, 351 
Parlor, 350 

Japanese Iris (see /. Iwvi- 
gata) 

Japanese quince, 263, 264 

Japanese rose, 263 

Juneberry, 264 

Kalmia latifolia, illus. 255; 
256, 263, 264. 

Kenilworth ivy, 351 
Kentucky blue-grass, 53 
Kerria Japonica, 263 
Kerria, white, 264 
Kniphofia aloides, illus. 185 
Kudzu vine, 239 

Lantana, weeping, 133 
Larkspur, illus. 150 

(see DelpJiinium ) 
Lavendula vera, 165 
Lawns, 44 

Autumn spading, 48 

Bone meal for, 58 



Fertilizing, 45, 48, 56 

Insects attacking, 71 

Lime for, 59 

Moles in, 71 

Mowing, 60 

Nitrate of soda for, 58 

Preparation of soil for, 44- 
48 

Renovating old, 73 

Rolling, 59 

Seed for, 52-55 

Sowing of, 52 

Top-dressing of, 58 

Turf for, 49 

Watering, 63 * 

Weeds in, 66 

Wood ashes on, 58 
Leaf mold (see Soil) 
Leucojum vernum, 210 

Depth to plant, 214 
Liatris gianiinifoUa, 164 

spicata, 1(54 
Ligustrum, 263 
Lilac (see Syringa) 
Lilium, 214 

aitratum, 215, 217 

Batemannice, 215, 217 

Best varieties of, 215 

Brownii, 215, 217 

Canadense, illus. 185; 217 

candidum, illus. 191; 217 

Chalcedonicum, 217 

croceum, 217 

Depth to plant, 218 

Elegans, illus. 216 

excelsum, 217 

Hansoni, 217 

Harrisii, 346 

Henry i, 215, 217 

Japonicum, illus. 187, 215 

Krameri, illus. 187 
longiflorum, 215 

Martagon, 217 

Par da linuni , 217 

Philadelph i cum, 217 
Reason for planting, 215 



INDEX 



413 



Soil for, 214, 217 

speciosum, 217 

superbum, 217 

Thunbergiaiiuin, illiis. 210; 
217 

Tigrinum, illus. 211, 217 

umbellaium, 217 

Value of, 214 

Wallacei, 217 

Washingtonianuni, 217 
Lily (see Lilium) 
Lime, 59 
Linden, 289 

Liriodendron tulipifcra, 289 
Lobelia cardinalis, 164 

syphilitica, 164 
Location of house, 26 
Lonicera, 94, 265 

Haliiana, illus. 93; 94 

Japonica, 94 

sempervirens, 94 

Tatarica, 264 
Lychnis Chacedonica, 163 

Coronaria, 161 

Yespertina, 163 

Viscaria, var. splendens, 
illus. 137; 161 
Lygodium, 350, 356 
Lysimachia clethroides, 163 

nummular ia, 161 

punctata, 161 

Madeira vine, 235, 238, 351 
Madonna lily, illus. 191 

( see Lilium ) 
Mahernia odorata, 351 
Mahonia (see Berberis Aqui- 

folium, ) 
Maidenhair fern (see fern) 

tree, 289 
Manettia, 133 
Manure (see fertilizer) 
Maple, 289 

Marguerite, illus. 152; 351 
Mass planting, 38 
Maurandya, 133, 350 



Mesenibryanthemum, 35 1 

Mignonette, 114 

Mock orange (see I'liiladcl- 

phiis) 
Monarda didyma, illus. 148 
Monkshood, illus. 161 (see 

Aconitum 
Montbretia, illus. 206; 235, 

237 
Morning glory, 96, 114 

Japanese, 133 
Mountain fetter bush, 264 
Mountain laurel (see Hal- 

mia) 

Nasturtium, 96, 120, 133 
Narcissus, illus. 170 and 199; 
194, 340 

Barrii, 198 

Best varieties of, 197 

Colors of, 195 

Double, 200 

For outdoor planting, 197 

incomparabilis, 198 

In pots, 340 

Leedsii, 200 

Naturalizing, 195 

Paper white, illus. 341 ; 342 

poeticus, illus. 196; 195, 
200 

Season for planting, 196 

Trumpet, 197 

Value of, 194 
Nephrolepis, 356 
Nitrate of soda (see Fertili- 
zers 

Oak, 289 

Oenothera fruticosa, 161, 163 

Missouriensis, 163 

speciosa, 163 
Oleaster, 265 
Orchard grass, 69 
Oriental poppy, illus. 145 

(see Paparer) 
Osier, red, 265 



414 



INDEX 



Oxalis, 235 

Fwonia, illus. 369; 367 

Best varieties of, 373 

Colors of, 367 

For cut flowers, 374 

List of, 373 

Moutan, illus. 372; 264 

Mulch for, 368 

officinalis, 160 

Sensitive varieties of, 371 

Single, illus. 371 

Soil for, 368 

tenuifolia, 160 

Tree (see P. Moutan) 

Value of, 367 
Palms, 351, 352 
Pandanus, 351, 354 
Fapaver nudicaule, illus. 145; 
161 

orientale, illus. 145; 161 
Paris daisy, illus. 330; 351 
Parlor ivy, 350 
Peat (see Soil) 
Pentstemon harhatus, 163 

laevigatus, 161 

ovatus, 163 
Peony (see Pceonia) 
Perennials, hardy herbaceous, 
99, 134 

Arrangement of, 167 

Best varieties of, 157 

Classification of, 134 

Cultivation of, 167 

Division of, 151, 152 

Number of varieties, 136 

Planting, 142 

Preparation of beds for, 144 

Propagation by cuttings, 
156 

Raising from seed, 148 

Short-lived, 151 

Succession of bloom of, 158 

Watering of, 168 

Winter protection of, 140 

With shrubs, 169 



Petunia, illus. 114; 114, 120, 

351 
Philadelphus, 259, 264 
Phlox, 374 

Annual, illus. 100; 120 

Best varieties of, 377 

Cultivation of, 376 

decussata, 376 

divaricata, illus. 377; 160 

Drummondii, illus. 100; 
133 

Dwarf varieties of, 378 

Lists of, 377 

Mulch for, 376 

paniculata, illus. 375; 163, 
164, 376, 378 

Planting, 376 

subulata, 160 

suffruticosa, 376, 377 
Physostegia Virgmiana, illus. 

154; 164 
Pieris floribunda, 256, 263, 
264 

Mariana, 264 
Pilea arhorea, 351 
Pink (see Dianthus) 

Annual, 120 
Finns Mughus, 264 
Planning, 12 

Before building, 25 

Conditions governing, 24 

Drawing to scale, 21 

Elementary, 22 

For harmonious effect, 37 

On paper before planting, 
35 

Principles of, 13 
Plans (see planning) 

How to draw, 35 

What to include in, 36 
Plantain in lawns, 66 
Plantain lily, illus. 166 

(see Funkia) 
Flantanus accidentalis, 289 
Planting, examples of, 19 



INDEX 



415 



Platycodon grandiflortmi, 

illus. 148; 163 
Plum, 264 

Polemonium cceruleum, 160 
Poplar, 289 
Poppy, 114, 120 
(see Papaver) 

Iceland, 151 

Oriental, illus. 145 

Shirley, illus. 110 
Populus alba, 289 
Porch boxes, 120 

Construction of, 128 

Dimensions of, 127 

Fertilizer for, 131 

Plants for, 132 

Soil for, 130 

Uses of, 123 

Value of, 121 

Watering, 132 
Portulaca, 120 
Potentilla fruticosa, 263 
Pot marigold, illus. 116; 120 
Potting, 235 
Primrose, 351 
Primula, 160, 352 
Principles of planning, 31 
Privet, 263 
Prunus, 264 
Purpose of a yard, 16 
Pyrethrum roseum, 161 

Quercus palustris, 289 
rubra, 289 

Rambler, Crimson, 90 
Ramblers (see vines) 
Red root, 264 
Repotting, 235 
Rhamnus, 265 

Rhododendron, illns. '>60 • 
255, 264 
Cataivbiense, 264 
Rlfodotypos. 264 
Rhus, 254 
liibes floridum, 263 



Richardia, 235, 351 
Roman hyacinths 

(see Hyacinth) 
Roses, 357 

Bourbon, 363 

Climbing, 90, 364 

Crimson Rambler, 90 

Dorothy Perkins, 90 

Fertilizer for, 361 

For shrubberies, 304 

Gen. Jacqueminot, illus. 
359; 362, 363 

Grafted, 358 

Hardy perpetual, 362 

Hybrid perpetual, 303 

Hybrid tea, 363 

Japanese, 263 

Noisette, 364 

On own roots, 358 

Planting of, 357 

Pruning of, 361 

Tea, 364 

Trellis, 303 

Wichuraiana, 90 

Winter protection of, 360 
Rubus, 265 
Rudbeckia, 166 

ladniata (golden glow) 
illus.. 158; 164 

triloba, 164 
Rules for planting, 31 

St. John's Wort, 263. 264 
Salix alba, 289 
Sambucus, 264, 265 
Sanguinaria Canadensis, 159 
Scabiosa. annual, 120 

Caucasica, 101 
Scilla, 210 

Amoena, 188 

Depth to plant, 214 

^ibirica, 210 
Screw pine, 354 
^edum specfabile, 16(5 
Selaginella dentirtilata. 351 
Senecio, 350 



416 



INDEX 



inikanioides, 351 
pulcher, 166 

Shasta daisy, illus. 163 
(see Chrysanthemurn) 

Shirley 'poppy, illus. 163 
(see Fapaver) 

Shrubs, 240 

Blooming in spring, 264 
Blooming two months, 263 
Compared to trees, 243 
Cultivation of, 252 
Effectiveness of, 245 
Evergreen, 255, 264 
For city yard, 257 
For shaded situations, 263 
Grouping of, 246, 252 
List of best hardy, 263 
Planting of, 251 
Pruning of, 252 
Spraying, 261 
Uses of, 248 
Value of, 248, 254 
Varieties of, 253 
When to plant, 261 
Winter protection of, 252 
With ornamental fruit, 265 
With variegated foliage, 
264 

Silene, 120 

Smilax, 351 

Smoke bush, (see Rhus) 

Snapdragon, illus. 105; 133 
( see An tirrhin u m ) 

Snowball, 264 (see Virbur- 
num ) 

Snowberry, 263, 265 

Snowdrop, 188 

(see Galanthus) 

Snowflake, 188 

(see Leucojum ) 

Sod for lawns, 50 
(see Lawns) 

Soil, 293 
Clay, 290 

Composition of, 295 
Cultivation of, 301 



Fertilizing of, 303 

Good garden, 298 

Humus, 296 

Leaf mold, 296 

Mixtures of, 297 

Peat, 296 

Trenching of, 302 
Solidago, 166 
Soot (see Fertilizers) 
Specimen planting, 32 
i<j)ircea, 253, 260, 264 

Aruncus, illus. 155; 161 

Filipenditla, illus. 135; 162 

lobata, 163 

palmata, 162 

prunifolia, 260 

Thunbergii, 260 

Tan Houttei, illus. 241; 
260 
Squill (see Scilla) 
^tachys Betonica, 163 
Stagger-bush, 264 
Stat ice Tatarica, 163 
Stocks, illus. 110; 120 
Stoke's aster, illus. 147 ; 163 
Stokesia cyanea, illus. 147 ; 

163 
Strawberry bush, 265 
Summer hyacinth, 237 
Sunflower, 114, 120 
Swainsonia, 351 
Swamp Rose, illus. 143 
Sweet alyssum, 114, 120, 351 
Sweet-peas, illus. 112; 120 
Sweet pepper, 263, 264 
Sweet-scented shrub, 263 
Sweet sultan, 114 
Sweet William, illus. 143 
Sycamore, 289 
Symphoiicarpos, 263 

racemosus, 265 
Syringa (see Philadelphus) 
Syringa, 253, 259 

vulgaris, 264 

Tecoma radicals, 95 



INDEX 



417 



Thalictrum aquilegifolium, 

1G2 
Thennopsis Carofiniana, 1G2 
Thunbergia, 133 
Thunbergian lily, illus. 216 
Tiger lily, illus. 211 
Tigiidia, 235 
Tilia Americana, 289 

vulgaris, 289 
Torch lily, illus. 185 
Tradescantia, 351 
Virginiana, 1G3 
Trees, 260 

Bordering parks, 271 
Bordering streets, 272 
Cultivation of, 284 
Enemies of, 290 
Evergreen, 285 
How to plant, illus. 267 
In city yards, 260, 274 
Insect pests of, 291 
Objection to, 240 
Of Heaven, 289 
Planting. 283 
Pruning, 275, 277 
Transplanting of, 277, 281 
Varieties of, 288 
Watering, 285 
Wrong use of, 268 
Trellises, 97 
Trenching, 302 
Trillium erectum, 159 
Trollius Europwus, illus. 141- 

160, 162 
Trumpet creeper, 95 
Tuberose, 235 
Tuberous-rooted plants, 170 

(see Bulbs) 
Tulip, 194, 203 
Bizarre, 208 
Breeder, 208 
Bybloemen, 208 
Classification of, 205 
Darwin, 208 
Double, 205, 206 
Early single, 205 



Florist, 208 

For pots, 346 

In borders, 204 

Lifting, 204 

May-flowering, illus. i74 
and 203; 207 

Mother, 208 

Parrot, illus. 203; 206 

Preparation of beds for, 
204 

Rose, 208 

Season for planting. 203 

Self, 208 

Show, 208 

Winter protection of, 204 
Tulip tree, 289 
Turf for lawns, 49 

Laying of, 50 

Watering, 50 

Ulmaria Filipendula, illus. 
135 

(see ^pircea Filipendula) 
Ulmus Americana, 289 

campestris, 289 
Umbrella plant, 133 

Verno7iia Arkansana, 104 
Veronica, illus, 105 

Ion gi folia, 103, 104 

rupestris, 102 

Virginica, 103 
Viburnum, 259, 204 

lantana, 205 

opulus, 205 

j)licatum, 200 
Vinca, 133, 351 
Vines, 75 

Annual, 80, 90 

Bulbous, 238 

Classification of, 77 

Cultivation of, 82 

Fertilizers for, 84 

For indoor gardens, 350, 
351 

Perennial, 80, 87 



418 



INDEX 



Pruning of, 85 

Soil for, 81 

Supports for, 97 

Uses of, 76 

Value of, 75 

Varieties of, 87-98 
Violet, 351 
Virginia creeper, 87 

Walks, 28 

Course of, 29 

Planning of, 34 
Wayfaring tree, 265 
Weeds, in lawns, 66 
Weigelia, 264 
Wichuraiana rose, 90 
Willow, 289 
Window boxes, 120 
Window garden, 329 

Bulbs for, 339, 346 

Ferns for, 356 

Fertilizer for, 337 

Flowers for, 348, 350, 351 

Foliage plants for, 348, 351 

Hyacinths for, 343 



Location of, 332 

Narcissi for, 340 

Plants for, 339 

Potting, 335 

Repotting, 335 

Soil for, 332 

Sunless, 351 

Temperature of, 348 

Tulips for, 346 

W^atering, 336 

Vines for, 350, 351 
Winter aconite, 188 

(see Eranthis) 
Wistaria Chinensis, 95 

multijuga, 95 

speciosa, 95 
Witch-hazel (see hamamelis) 
Wolfberry, 263 
Wood ashes, 58 

(see Fertilizer) 
Woodbine, ilhis. 89; 88 

Zephyranthes, 235 
Zinnia, illus. 102: 120 



Mm 21 ii08 



S!^^ ^ CONGRESS 



OODO^SbOSS^f 



